James Brown R.I.P.
Monday, December 25th, 2006James Brown, the legendary "Godfather of Soul" died today at the age of 73. Watch the man and remember:
Archive for December, 2006
The Absolute Powerpop Top 100 of 2006
Friday, December 22nd, 2006It’s that time of year again! Here is the excellent music blog Absolute PowerPop and their Top 100 of 2006. Always a cool read and a great way to spend all that Christmas money that you will hopefully be getting on Monday!
Later.
The Absolute Powerpop Top 100 of 2006
Friday, December 22nd, 2006It’s that time of year again! Here is the excellent music blog Absolute PowerPop and their Top 100 of 2006. Always a cool read and a great way to spend all that Christmas money that you will hopefully be getting on Monday!
Later.
Rock & Roll Postcard from France - Gérard reviews The Teen Appeal “Pop”
Friday, December 22nd, 2006THE TEEN APPEAL “Act” Pop The Baloon Records/Wizzard in Vinyl Records mailto:popthebaloon@free.fr ou www.wizzard-in-vinyl.com
Je suis ému et satisfait à la fois de la sortie de cet album : ému parce que source de souvenirs épatants d’avoir connu et vu ce groupe jouer. Satisfait qu’enfin on lui rende hommage à sa juste valeur, très grande à mes yeux. Leur unique album avait été tellement frustrant au regard de leur potentiel que je remercie plus que chaleureusement Fabien et Manu de Pop the Baloon et Daizuke de Wizzard in Vinyl. Déjà la 23e référence du label lyonnais(pour nos amis d’outre France, une grande et belle ville française avec un passé rock formidable) et déjà un bout de temps que notre ami Gilles Raffier, l’instigateur de ce label, est parti rejoindre Jim Ellison, Pete Ham et tous les autres grands Popsters. Teen Appeal était à l’image son label, brillant, inspiré, fan, sans moyens. Les Plimsouls étaient leurs grands frères (quel souvenir que ce concert à Barcelone avec les Teen Appeal en fans éplorés) sans que cela leur fasse de l’ombre, leur fougue et leur envoie emportaient tout sur leur passage. La reconnaissance a été limitée mais source de bonheur intense pour les gens qui les ont croisé. Il faut acheter ce disque rien que pour les bonus tracks : Cecilia, Money ou Summer is coming sont tout simplement indispensables à tout fan de rock qui se respecte. Beau livret, belles photos sur papier glacé s’il vous plait. Une météorite dans le ciel étoilé de la Pop. Indispensable
I am excited and satisfied in equal parts at the final release of this album. Excited because this is the source of some super souvenirs to get to know all over again and listen to the great band that performs them. Satisfied because finally we can pay this band the respect that they deserves in my eyes. It’s frustrating that this album hasn’t been able to get the respect that it deserves despite the efforts of Fabien and Manu of Pop the Balloon and Daizuke of Wizzard in Vinyl. The 23rd release of this label from Lyon (for my friends from outside of France this is a great and beautiful French town with a great rock history) is a testament to my friend Gilles Raffier, the founder of the label, who is joined by his friends Jim Ellison, Pete Ham and all the other great Popsters. Teen Appeal is a mirror image of his label: brilliant, inspired, a fan of great pop without excuses. The Plimsouls were considered older brothers (what a concert memory of them playing in Barcelona with Teen Appeal there as the teary-eyed fans!). Their popularity was limited but they were loved intensely by those who knew good music. You should buy this record if for nothing more than the bonus tracks: Cecillia, Money or Summer is Coming are simply indispensable for any true fan of rock and roll. A nice booklet with beautiful photos on glossy paper, this band was a shooting star in the starry sky of pop. Indispensible.
By Gérard Girard
Rock & Roll Postcard from France - Gérard reviews The Teen Appeal “Pop”
Friday, December 22nd, 2006THE TEEN APPEAL "Act" Pop The Baloon Records/Wizzard in Vinyl Records mailto:popthebaloon@free.fr ou www.wizzard-in-vinyl.com
Je suis ému et satisfait à la fois de la sortie de cet album : ému parce que source de souvenirs épatants d’avoir connu et vu ce groupe jouer. Satisfait qu’enfin on lui rende hommage à sa juste valeur, très grande à mes yeux. Leur unique album avait été tellement frustrant au regard de leur potentiel que je remercie plus que chaleureusement Fabien et Manu de Pop the Baloon et Daizuke de Wizzard in Vinyl. Déjà la 23e référence du label lyonnais(pour nos amis d’outre France, une grande et belle ville française avec un passé rock formidable) et déjà un bout de temps que notre ami Gilles Raffier, l’instigateur de ce label, est parti rejoindre Jim Ellison, Pete Ham et tous les autres grands Popsters. Teen Appeal était à l’image son label, brillant, inspiré, fan, sans moyens. Les Plimsouls étaient leurs grands frères (quel souvenir que ce concert à Barcelone avec les Teen Appeal en fans éplorés) sans que cela leur fasse de l’ombre, leur fougue et leur envoie emportaient tout sur leur passage. La reconnaissance a été limitée mais source de bonheur intense pour les gens qui les ont croisé. Il faut acheter ce disque rien que pour les bonus tracks : Cecilia, Money ou Summer is coming sont tout simplement indispensables à tout fan de rock qui se respecte. Beau livret, belles photos sur papier glacé s’il vous plait. Une météorite dans le ciel étoilé de la Pop. Indispensable
I am excited and satisfied in equal parts at the final release of this album. Excited because this is the source of some super souvenirs to get to know all over again and listen to the great band that performs them. Satisfied because finally we can pay this band the respect that they deserves in my eyes. It’s frustrating that this album hasn’t been able to get the respect that it deserves despite the efforts of Fabien and Manu of Pop the Balloon and Daizuke of Wizzard in Vinyl. The 23rd release of this label from Lyon (for my friends from outside of France this is a great and beautiful French town with a great rock history) is a testament to my friend Gilles Raffier, the founder of the label, who is joined by his friends Jim Ellison, Pete Ham and all the other great Popsters. Teen Appeal is a mirror image of his label: brilliant, inspired, a fan of great pop without excuses. The Plimsouls were considered older brothers (what a concert memory of them playing in Barcelona with Teen Appeal there as the teary-eyed fans!). Their popularity was limited but they were loved intensely by those who knew good music. You should buy this record if for nothing more than the bonus tracks: Cecillia, Money or Summer is Coming are simply indispensable for any true fan of rock and roll. A nice booklet with beautiful photos on glossy paper, this band was a shooting star in the starry sky of pop. Indispensible.
By Gérard Girard
Indie-Music.Com’s “Best of 2006″
Thursday, December 21st, 2006Indie-Music.Com has published their Best of 2006- Top 25 Indie CDs. Check it out and see how many you have in your collection. I have three!
Later.
Indie-Music.Com’s “Best of 2006″
Thursday, December 21st, 2006Indie-Music.Com has published their Best of 2006- Top 25 Indie CDs. Check it out and see how many you have in your collection. I have three!
Later.
The Drastic Plastic Program Playlist for December 18, 2006
Thursday, December 21st, 2006Doug Ford spun another cool show on the Drastic Plastic Program last Monday so for all of you that listened in, here is the playlist. For those of you who didn’t get a chance head to the CKUT FM archives immediately!
The opening volley begins with the classic pouty snarl of the Stiv Bators and the Deadboys, then off to New Zealand with the D4 and an adrenale landing in Detroit for a dose of Patti and Fred ‘Sonic’ Smiths’ son Jackson and his band Back in Spades.
Guitars are Go! for the second set with a trio of independent releases featuring Switzerland’s Black Sonic Prophets, Detroit’s My Machine, and Dublin Ireland’s Slow Motion Getaway.
The third set kicks off with easy groovin’ from Catfish Haven, followed by the extraordinary talent of Ireland’s Donal Norton who plays everything but the drums in this jazzy number by The Bare Bones Collective. The set ends with a charming rawker by Dirty and the Derelicts. Spun around a loving Tom Waits sound, the Derelicts make their home in Vancouver B.C.
The final set digs into my affection for some good twang-core. The Blind Robins from Chicago with a genuine nitty-gritty sound, followed by Alabama’s The Dexateens from their splendid album Hardwire Healing. We finished up with a good rock’n tune (and somewhat of a surprise ‘find’) from Vancouver’s Desert Radio. Enjoy!
Band Album Song
the Dead Boys - Young Loud and Snotty - I need lunch
the D4 - 6twenty - Heartbreaker
Back in Spades - The time is now - Baby Gettin’ Higher
Black Sonic Prophets - independent release (2006) - Shut down the lights
My Machine - independent release (2006) - Mix it Up
Slow Motion Getaway - independent release (2006) - What Exactly is Going On?
Catfish Haven - Tell Me - Crazy for Leaving
The Bare Bones Collective - independent release (2006) - I Am Ready
Dirty and the Derelicts - The Usual Way - Uke Ukerson’s Guitar
The Blind Robins - Panorama Valley - Famous Non-Believers
The Dexateens - Hardwire Healing - Naked Ground
The Desert Radio - Asleep at the Wheel - February Day
The End Of THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RADIO?
Thursday, December 21st, 2006I just posted about "This is Rock and Roll Radio" this week and mentioned what a great show that it is and maybe unfortunately was. Dana and Carl and going through a cash crunch and this could spell the end of the show. I’ll let them explain:
Is this the end of THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RADIO? We hope not, but things could look a lot better than they do right now.
On January 7th, Syracuse Community Radio will hold an emergency meeting to discuss whether or not to pull the plug on SCR’s webcast, a project which has proven to be an enormous drain on the station’s worse-than-limited resources. Currently, we have about $3600 in immediate debt, with an additional $1800 in licensing fees to kick in on January 1st. On top of what we already owe, the webcast costs $407 a month, yet brings in only about $150 a month in contributions. This situation can not continue, and our system needs to be revamped, but right now we’re asking for your help.
First, we need a lot of money, FAST. Our timing stinks–the week before Christmas may not be the best time to hit people up for donations to keep The Bay City Rollers on their media player, but we can’t control that. We don’t expect anyone to go into hock on our behalf, nor do we wish you to bypass donations to any of your other favorite causes. That said, we know that if someone doesn’t step up, THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RADIO is history.
If 36 TIRnRR fans each send a donation of $100, our old debt is erased.
If an additional 100 TIRnRR fans each send a donation of $20, the new licensing fee is met.
If a high-roller or two sends in even more, and the rest of us working-class schlubs send whatever we can, SCR can position itself to survive, if not thrive.
As always, all donations to Syracuse Community Radio are a hunnert-percent TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. As a thank-you gift, we will also send a homemade CD-R (of pop obscurities from my own collection) to anyone who donates $20 or more.
Now, one listener has already asked if a donation at this time might just be throwing away good money after bad, that the station could collect her donation and then still decide to kill the webcast. That’s a valid question, so this is the safeguard I propose:
1. Make your check out to "Syracuse Community Radio," and write in the notes section of your check, "Targeted donation: webcast."
2. Do not send the check to the station. Send it to my home address: Carl Cafarelli, 5540 Taormina Drive, Clay, NY 13041. I will collect all the checks, and present a total at the January 7th meeting.
3. If the January 7th meeting results in a continuation of the webcast, your checks will then be cashed. If the webcast goes the way of leisure suits and ELP eight-tracks, your uncashed check will be returned to you. (And you’ll still get the CD-R; you held up your end of the bargain.)
4. If you wish to pay with PayPal, contact me. I’m uncomfortable with the idea of anyone paying a donation into my account, so that will probably have to go the station’s account, still targeted for the webcast. We’ll figure that one out.
I apologize for hitting you all up like this, tin cup in hand and not even able to carry a proper tune. But I think enough of you dig whatever it is Dana and I do on this little mutant radio show, and that you’ll wanna preserve it. We come to you like Blanche DuBois playing a vintage Hofner bass: we have always depended on the kindness of strangers, yeah yeah yeah.
The playlist for the eighth annual TIRnRR Christmas show will go out separately. We are on a year-end hiatus for two weeks, but we will return on (oddly enough) January 7th, with a countdown of our most-played tracks from throughout 2006. If the meeting goes well, this will begin our ninth year on the air; if things don’t go as planned, I guess it’ll be our last show, but we’ll go out with biff-bang-pow.
Happy Christmas to you all, and all the best from Dana & Carl.
Since they sent out this e-mail a number of listeners have doanted various CDs as incentives to make a donation.
Dana and Carl are the real deal people. Try to be as generous as you can.
Thanks.
Mark
Orange County New Year’s Eve
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006
Nothing to do New Year’s Eve? Here’s and event for all you music lovers out there, especially those who grew up in the glorious 80’s. I decided to go to this shindig last year after one of my new favorite bands, The Eyeliners was added to the bill. This is one of the best New Year’s Eve events I’ve been to, even better than Y2K in Vegas, so if you’re anywhere near southern California, you should check it out. The Orange County New Year’s Eve (OCNYE) will feature almost 30 bands including Blondie, The English Beat, the Violent Femmes, The Knack, The Tubes, Brett Michaels of Poison and more. Event founder, Rich Goodwin, say he started the event "simply because there was nothing to do in OC" (or anywhere else in Southern California for that matter). But when he came up with the idea nine years ago he had no money and no clout to get it done. After building a company called Vidsion Entertainment which managed 40 world-wide events in just 6 years, he sold it and went after the one event that eluded him for nine years-the OCNYE. Last year’s inaugural event had 15,000 attendees despite rain and wind storms coming through just 30 minutes prior to showtime. But, almost miraculously the skies cleared up in time, the water drained and the event went off as planned, highlighted by performances from Lit, Joan Jett, Sugar Ray on the main stage. 
Tickets to OCNYE are still available for the event and there are local partner hotels with shuttles available to the venue-so you can tie one on in your own private cabana or in one of the many lounges and you can leave the driving to someone else. Happy Holidays…and whatever you do, be responsible. Don’t Drink and Drive!
Some last minute Christmas ideas found at the CD Baby store
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006
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Attention all bands and labels: The Rock and Roll Report is finally going podcasting
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006Just a quick heads up to all of you bands and labels in MySpace land and elsewhere that I have had the pleasure of working with in the past on The Rock and Roll Report and Rock and Roll Report Radio. And a big hello to those of you who I haven’t had the pleasure of working with yet.
In addition to Rock and Roll Report Radio I am in the early planning stages of a Rock and Roll Report podcast. Same format as the radio show on CKUT with high quality indie rock and roll throughout, just in a more accessible and interactive format.
Interested in getting involved? Shoot me an e-mail at mailto:podcast@rockandrollreport.com and let me know. I am building a database of all those bands and labels who want in. Once that gets going I will be contacting you for the appropriate permissions.
Thanks in advance.
Mark
BONNAROO BACK IN 2007
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will be held June 14th through the 17th, 2007. The sixth annual show will once again be held in Manchester, Tennessee, about 60 miles southeast of Nashville, at its familiar 700-acre site. According to Billboard.com, a small supply of pre-sale tickets will be available beginning tomorrow at 10 AM Eastern.
Source: 2006 Punmaster’s MusicWire http://www.punmaster.com
Enthusiastic about Jim Dupree : Enthusiast
Monday, December 18th, 2006Jim Dupree is a hopelessly, inept boner. Pass it on.
The unfortunately retired, Jim Dupree : Enthusiast video pod series answers the question, what would Charles Schultz have done with Charlie Brown had Chuck been hit by a bus and lobotomized in his teens? Jim Dupree is a tortured, scattered Charlie Brown with all the charm of a bush league baseball team of doorknobs. How can you not adore this human car crash? How can you not rubberneck as he details in minute detail the many, varying topics for which he demonstrates enthusiasm? You rock, Jim. We salute you!
Jim is enthusiastic about hitchhiking:
MORE JIM: Jim Dupree : Enthusiast on You Tube
Record Review: Electric Satisfaction by Crash Kelly (Liquor & Poker Music 2006)
Monday, December 18th, 2006
They sing songs about 2 year runarounds, girls gone bad from hanging around rock bands, listening to blaring rock & roll in black light illuminated basements as well as covering the proto-glam bubblegum schlock of Sweeney Todd’s “Roxy Roller.” Their album was produced by Gilby Clarke. In sum they are perfectly rock and roll.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Crash Kelly have managed to churn out an album of rock and roll I remembered listening to in high school, that timeless combination of guitar-infused sleaze sung with just the right amount of swagger to piss off your parents. I’ve already played “She Put the Shock (In My Rock n Roll)” on Rock and Roll Report Radio to great effect and I absolutely love “You’re a Drag When You’re High” with great lines like:
“You’re a drag when you’re stoned and you nod off in mid-sentence. And your lights are growing dim, and you sink ‘cause it’s too hard to swim.”
“Electric Satisfaction” is an apt named title for this record because that is exactly what it gives you. More cool rock and roll from Canada. Get it now.
http://www.myspace.com/crashkelly
Later.
Record Review: Electric Satisfaction by Crash Kelly (Liquor & Poker Music 2006)
Monday, December 18th, 2006
They sing songs about 2 year runarounds, girls gone bad from hanging around rock bands, listening to blaring rock & roll in black light illuminated basements as well as covering the proto-glam bubblegum schlock of Sweeney Todd’s “Roxy Roller.” Their album was produced by Gilby Clarke. In sum they are perfectly rock and roll.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Crash Kelly have managed to churn out an album of rock and roll I remembered listening to in high school, that timeless combination of guitar-infused sleaze sung with just the right amount of swagger to piss off your parents. I’ve already played “She Put the Shock (In My Rock n Roll)” on Rock and Roll Report Radio to great effect and I absolutely love “You’re a Drag When You’re High” with great lines like:
“You’re a drag when you’re stoned and you nod off in mid-sentence. And your lights are growing dim, and you sink ‘cause it’s too hard to swim.”
“Electric Satisfaction” is an apt named title for this record because that is exactly what it gives you. More cool rock and roll from Canada. Get it now.
http://www.myspace.com/crashkelly
Later.
Got my Big Takeover!
Friday, December 15th, 2006
I just picked up my copy of one of the best music mags out there in The Big Takeover and it is quite the monster issue. Since it’s only published twice a year, every issue is literally crammed with so many interviews and reviews that it takes a couple of months just to digest it all!
I would highly recommend you pick up a copy and one of the first things you should do is go to the letters section and read publisher Jack Rabid’s response to a reader that thinks the magazine has gone too bland. It’s an excellent introduction to the art of putting together a magazine and an eloquent defence of The Big Takeover, as if it ever needed one.
Always a fine rock and roll read.
Later.
Got my Big Takeover!
Friday, December 15th, 2006
I just picked up my copy of one of the best music mags out there in The Big Takeover and it is quite the monster issue. Since it’s only published twice a year, every issue is literally crammed with so many interviews and reviews that it takes a couple of months just to digest it all!
I would highly recommend you pick up a copy and one of the first things you should do is go to the letters section and read publisher Jack Rabid’s response to a reader that thinks the magazine has gone too bland. It’s an excellent introduction to the art of putting together a magazine and an eloquent defence of The Big Takeover, as if it ever needed one.
Always a fine rock and roll read.
Later.
This is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio
Friday, December 15th, 2006I am a huge fan of the radio show This is Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio heard every Sunday night on Syracuse community radio station WXXE FM. With a slogan of “The Best Three Hours of Radio on The Whole Friggin’ Planet” hosts Carl Cafarelli and Dana Bonn have an unbridled love of rock and roll that is clearly evident on every show and they have been a big influence on me and Rock and Roll Report Radio.
Well its nice to see that they are getting some local recognition as the Syracuse New Times has published a nice article on their show called "Radio Gaga" that is well worth reading if you have grown cynical about rock radio. As I have maintained since starting The Rock and Roll Report, there are pockets of pure rock and roll fun everywhere, you just have to look hard enough. Way to go Dana and Carl!
Later.
Ahmet Ertegun R.I.P.
Thursday, December 14th, 2006
Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary co-founder of Atlantic Records with Herb Abramson has passed away at the age of 83, ironically as a result of a fall backstage at a Rolling Stones concert this past October. My first recollections of the man were as an avid Stones and Zeppelin fan in the Seventies when I would see this distinguished looking gentleman partying with Mick Jagger at the St. Regis or chatting with Robert Plant (in a neck brace!) backstage at some show in the states. To say that the man was a rock and roll legend is an understatement. His work with Atlantic Records didn’t just create an amazing body of work in rock and roll, his contributions to Rhythm and Blues with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding make the man a prime candidate for one of the most influential people in music, ever. I leave you this statement from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the legend that was and always will be Ahmet Ertegun:
It is with deep remorse and great regret that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum acknowledges the passing of our friend, founding father and Co-Chairman, Ahmet Ertegun.
“Ahmet played an immeasurable role in the explosive growth of popular music since the 1940s and he was one of the driving forces in the development and growth of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland,” said Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “From Aretha to Zeppelin, Ahmet was instrumental in breaking many of the iconic artists of the last 50 years.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would not be what it is today without his leadership. Ahmet’s guidance, counsel and support will be greatly missed.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will display a photo exhibit in memory of Mr. Ertegun. Mr. Ertegun was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
About Ahmet Ertegun: One of the most significant figures in the modern recording industry, Ahmet Ertegun co-founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with partner Herb Abramson. Atlantic was at the forefront of great independent labels that sprang up in the late Forties, challenging the primacy of the major labels of the time (RCA, Columbia and Decca) by discovering, developing and nurturing new talent. Under the guiding hand of Mr. Ertegun - the son of a career diplomat and a lifelong jazz and blues aficionado - Atlantic became the nation’s premier rhythm & blues label in a few short years. The label’s artist roster in the Fifties reads like an honor roll of R&B talent: Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, LaVern Baker, the Drifters, the Coasters, the Clovers, and many more. During this period, Mr. Ertegun produced or co-produced the vast majority of records released on Atlantic. He even wrote songs for Atlantic artists in the early days using the pseudonym “Nugetre”(Ertegun spelled backwards).
Though he was less directly involved as a producer, Ertegun continued at the helm of Atlantic in the Sixties and Seventies as the company conquered the realms of soul and rock with phenomenal success. During this time, the label brought the music of artists such as the Rolling Stones, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Sonny & Cher, Crosby Stills, Nash & Young and others to fans across the globe.
Ertegun served as chairman of Atlantic Records and the Co-Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame until his death. At the tenth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in 1995, it was announced that the Museum’s main exhibition hall would be named after Mr. Ertegun.
*ARMITAGE SHANKS **11 DECEMBER 2006** PLAYLIST* on CKUT FM
Wednesday, December 13th, 20061. “The Blinding” — Babyshambles (THE BLINDING EP) London The latest release by Pete Dougherty who, if the British press is to believed, may this time around be using the proceeds to purchase wedding gear for Kate Moss rather than crack and heroin. I, for one, have never given up on Pete: he’s still got the brilliant musical touch, as all five tunes on this EP are worth a listen.
2. “If You’ve Got Money” — Jamie T (PANIC PREVENTION) 20 year-old Jamie Treays is a singer / songwriter from Wimbledon. His debut album will be released in the UK at the end of January. Jamie T is essentially a British version of Jack Johnson, if that sounds appealing to you. He is earning quite a following in the UK indie rock scene, as his singles have been garnering increasing airplay during the last month or two on XFM, Virgin and BBC Radio One.
3. “Whistle for the Choir” — The Fratellis (COSTELLO MUSIC) Glasgow band / name is Italian for “brothers” / jaunty pop garage sound / one of the most popular bands in the UK in 2006 with 4 chart-topping singles. The problem with this infectious tune is that its one of those devious melodies that once heard, stays in me mind the rest of the day. Brilliant football terrace-anthem material.
4. “Downing Street Kindling” — Larrikin Love (THE FREEDOM SPARK) Southwest London Opening for Babyshambles in Europe currently / Founding bands of “Thamesbeat” scene / punkish reggae gypsy sound / influences are the Clash, the Libertines and the Pogues. Biting, incisive lyrics that hint lead vocalist and songwriter Ed Larrikin might be less than impressed with life in today’s Britain.
5 Commercial Breakdown” — The Sunshine Underground (RAISE THE ALARM) Leeds band that released its debut album in the UK in August. Collection of tight, guitar-driven indie rock songs that bring to mind Gang of Four, which is a good thing indeed innit? They have released three singles to date and bolstered their reputation travelling the British summer festival circuit in 2006.
6. “Storm in a Teacup” — Milburn (WELL WELL WELL) Sheffield band that rose to prominence during 2006 as part of the New Yorkshire scene that started blowing up a year ago thanks to the Arctic Monkeys, who are close mates of Milburn. Their debut album was released in October; full of excellent songs, and a highly worthwhile acquisition. If I was to tell you that this was the second album by Maximo Park, I’d probably successfully fool about 90% of this audience, as musical style and vocals are quite similar indeed, save for the fact that the founding Carnall brothers are Yorkshiremen and Maximo Park’s Paul Smith is a Geordie. / /
7. “Mama” — Plan B (WHO NEEDS ACTIONS WHEN YOU GOT WORDS) 22 year-old Ben Drew from Forest Gate, London. Just in time for the holidays, Plan B portrays a heartwarming family scene in the first song in the set “Mama (Loves a Crackhead)”, the chorus of which samples a Hall and Oates classic. Despite frequent (and accurate) comparisons to The Streets, Plan B’s world is an even bleaker one replete with violence, venereal disease and hopelessness. Interestingly, most of his diatribes are set against some wicked acoustic guitar riffs. Makes for some shocking, yet compelling listening.
8. “Peace and Quiet” — The Rifles (NO LOVE LOST) Walthamstow, London / full of cracking tunes and is another brilliant example of a tight guitar-driven indie rock band / sounds like the Jam, Strokes, the Coral, the Libertines, the Rakes / album available in North America on import only at present / produced by Ian Broudie formerly of the Lightning Seeds. The debut album released this year is another must-have for the discerning listener.
9. “Superstar Tradesman” — The View (HATS OFF TO THE BUSKERS) Band from Dundee, Scotland, who was discovered by Pete Dougherty during a concert tour to that city where he asked the band to open for Babyshambles the same night he initially heard their demo. The debut album will be released at the end of January. Their first single “Wasted Little DJs” enjoyed extensive radio airplay in the UK the latter half of 2006, as well as a feature on the Armitage Shanks show two months ago.
10. “The Mourners of St. Paul’s” — Liam Frost and the Slowdown Family (SHOW ME HOW THE SPECTRES DANCE) 22 year-old Manchester singer-songwriter very much in the vein of Badly Drawn Boy. His debut album was released in September, and I’ll wager a tidy sum that it will be placed on next year’s Mercury Music Prize shortlist. This single features some cool Arcade Fire-style arrangements and sampling of lyrics from Louis Armstrong’s “Wonderful World”. I will be travelling to Manchester after Christmas to take in the Man United match vs. Reading and spend New Year’s Eve in the maddest party city on the planet and hope to pick up this Liam Frost album to feature more cuts off it in upcoming shows.
11. “Break” — The Cinematics (STRANGE EDUCATION) Brand-new breaking band from Glasgow. Got that bass-heavy, brooding New Order / Editors / Interpol / She Wants Revenge sound that we all know and love. Their debut album is scheduled to be released in early 2007.
12. “Fairytale of New York” — The Pogues Featuring Kirsty MacColl (IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD) This song, which reached Number 2 on the UK Charts in December 1987, has perennially been voted the favourite Christmas tune in Britain, and is my personal favourite as well. Shane McGowan is a poetic deity who by the “Grace of God” (pun intended) is still with us; tragically, Kirsty MacColl, a fantastic singer who was married to renown producer Steve Lillywhite, was killed in December 2000 while saving her son from being hit by a power boat while scuba diving in Cozumel Mexico.
If anyone is heading over to London in the next few days, Shane McGowan is playing Brixton Academy December 17, 18 and 19: my mate tells me that some tickets are still available.
Music Metadata: Coding Your Recordings for Maximum Royalties
Wednesday, December 13th, 2006Music Metadata: Coding Your Recordings for Maximum Royalties
by Peter Spellman, 
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If you plan on releasing your music on the Net, through satellite radio, or via music services like Muzak, you’ll need to understand the following.
A lot of information on a music CD isn’t music. Some of it are codes that help trace the uses and sales of your music online. Without them there is a good chance you’ll miss out on royalties owed you.
The four important codes you’ll need are:
1. Universal Product Code (UPC): This is also known as a "bar code" and it is attached to nearly every packaged product available in retail stores. Each product has a unique 12-digit number, encoded in the bars, which are scanned upon purchase and allow for the tracking of inventory and sales.
Most music chains no longer carry non-UPC products (because they can’t scan them at the cash register), and major label A&R departments conduct much of their market research on unsigned bands and indie rock labels by checking Soundscan sales on the retail level.
Nielsen Soundscan collects UPC sales data from over 10,000 outlets in the U.S. and Canada to compile its weekly list of music sales, which are published online (www.soundscan.com). These reports are an important ingredient in the weekly Billboard charts.
You can get a barcode either through the Uniform Code Council (www.uccouncil.org) for about $500, or from any number of music services (e.g., indie rock retailer CD Baby or CD manufacturer Oasis) for a lot less money. Of course, getting a barcode is one thing, subscribing to Soundscan reports is another, and costs are high (best to find a buddy who works at a record store that subscribes and view the report that way).
2. ISRC (International Standard Recording Code): The ISRC is a relatively new international identification system for sound recordings and music DVDs. The 12-character alphanumeric ISRC functions as a digital "fingerprint" for each track. Each ISRC is a unique and permanent identifier for a specific recording, to help identify recordings for royalty payments. It is assigned per track, not per CD. Unlike UPCs, the ISRC is tied to the track, not the carrier of the track.
No one knows which code will end up being the universal identifier for digital music tracks, but the ISRC is a good start (even though the RIAA runs the program). It’s smart to identify your recordings this way. They are embedded in the metadata of your CD during the mastering phase. Make sure you let your CD manufacturer know these codes are in your master. If your CD manufacturer doesn’t know about ISRCs, find one that does.
ISRC codes can be obtained by both large and small music companies, even single artist labels. The full application process can be performed online and via email. Those based in the U.S. can download forms and get further information at: www.riaa.com . If you are based outside the U.S., visit http://ifpi.org/isrc for the information you need.
3. CD Text: "CD Text" is information about the release that can be encoded as a separate file on an audio CD. It stores information like the album and song titles. When playing back an audio CD containing CD Text information on a CD Text-enabled player (usually an LCD screen), the listener will be able to read this information on the display panel. It’s displayed only on CD or DVD players, not on the desktop of most computers. One fast-growing space for these displays is satellite-radio-enabled cars.
Since its part of the Red Book standard, CD Text info can be entered onto a CD master quite easily using the "table of contents" in the appropriate CD subchannel. Like the ISRC, this happens during the mastering phase of your recording. Be sure to plan ahead for this.
4. CDDB (CD Data Base): CDDB is a database for software applications to look up CD information over the Internet. You’ve probably noticed it when ever you’ve imported a CD into your computer’s music library. Most of what you see is the work of one company, Gracenote, which has been entering the identity of every CD track for many years now.
It was designed around the task of identifying entire CDs, not merely single tracks. The identification process involves creating a "discid," a sort of "fingerprint" of a CD created by performing calculations on the track duration information stored in the table-of-contents of the CD.
There are alternatives to Gracenotes’s proprietary CDDB. These include FreeDB, MusicBrainz and All Media Guide’s AMG LASSO. Gracenote will eventually pick up on your CD, but it’s not a bad idea to send the information in yourself. To submit to Gracenote’s database go to: http://gracenote.com
and read the FAQs under "Company Info."
Keep good records of all this information to ensure accurate and comprehensive monitoring of your music’s uses in the digital age.
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
Rock & Roll Postcard from France - Gérard reviews “Remember the River” by Halfway
Tuesday, December 12th, 2006HALFWAY “remember the river” Laughing Outlaw Records www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
Deuxième album pour ce combo australien qui a la particularité de posséder deux chanteurs, Johnny Busby et Chris Dale et de plus d’égale valeur. Ce sextet de Brisbane se situe dans le courant Americana de qualité tel que les Etats Unis nous en a fourni (de Gram Parsons à Wilco) Une diversité superbe des chansons et une intreprétation vivante que ces 13 titres produits de main de maitre par Monsieur Rob Younger (Radio Birdman pour les habitants de la planète Mars!) et Wayne Conolly (You Am I, entre autre chose) Du bien bel ouvrage qui devient une bonne et saine habitute chez Laughing Outlaw
The second album from this Australian combo possesses two vocalists in Johnny Busby and Chris Dale of equal and impressive talent. This sextet from Brisbane derive a lot of their influences from the high quality Americana movement that emanated from the United States in the music of everyone from Gram Parsons to Wilco. An incredibly diverse range of suberb songs with vibrant production on all 13 tracks courtesy of Mr. Rob Younger (Radio Birdman for those of you who live on Mars!) and Wayne Conolly (You Am I, amongst others). This is excellent, high quality music that will become a healthy habit courtesy of Laughing Outlaw.
By Gérard Girard
Rock & Roll Postcard from France - Gérard reviews “Remember the River” by Halfway
Tuesday, December 12th, 2006HALFWAY "remember the river" Laughing Outlaw Records www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
Deuxième album pour ce combo australien qui a la particularité de posséder deux chanteurs, Johnny Busby et Chris Dale et de plus d’égale valeur. Ce sextet de Brisbane se situe dans le courant Americana de qualité tel que les Etats Unis nous en a fourni (de Gram Parsons à Wilco) Une diversité superbe des chansons et une intreprétation vivante que ces 13 titres produits de main de maitre par Monsieur Rob Younger (Radio Birdman pour les habitants de la planète Mars!) et Wayne Conolly (You Am I, entre autre chose) Du bien bel ouvrage qui devient une bonne et saine habitute chez Laughing Outlaw
The second album from this Australian combo possesses two vocalists in Johnny Busby and Chris Dale of equal and impressive talent. This sextet from Brisbane derive a lot of their influences from the high quality Americana movement that emanated from the United States in the music of everyone from Gram Parsons to Wilco. An incredibly diverse range of suberb songs with vibrant production on all 13 tracks courtesy of Mr. Rob Younger (Radio Birdman for those of you who live on Mars!) and Wayne Conolly (You Am I, amongst others). This is excellent, high quality music that will become a healthy habit courtesy of Laughing Outlaw.
By Gérard Girard
Little Steven starts little label
Tuesday, December 12th, 2006Steven Van Zandt has a new project to keep him busy between hosting his nationally syndicated radio show, Underground Garage, playing with Bruce Springsteen¹s E Street Band and acting on The Soprano¹s. Yahoo.com reports Van Zandt has just started his own record label, Wicked Cool Records. Besides putting out records from new bands, one of the label’s staples is a plan to release four compilation albums per year under the title, The Coolest Songs in the World.
Source: 2006 Punmaster’s MusicWire http://www.punmaster.com
