Bob Brozman

Just been watching a PBS thingy featuring 'Bob' ... friggin awesome 'string manager' ....

Check him out here

N I N

This just in today - for the Nine Inch Nails fan ...

A physical release of Nine Inch Nails' The Slip will be available worldwide
in the upcoming days as a limited edition CD with bonus DVD through the Null
Corporation label. Release dates as follows...

Australia: July 19
Europe: July 21
US: July 22
Canada: July 22
Japan: July 22
UK: July 28

This CD with bonus DVD edition will be a one time only worldwide run of
250,000 individually numbered digipacks. Each digipack features a six-panel
layout, 24 page booklet and an exclusive three sticker set. Art direction
by Rob Sheridan.

The bonus DVD includes 5 live performances filmed during rehearsals for Nine
Inch Nails' upcoming tour, including album tracks Echoplex, 1,000,000 and
Letting You.

A gatefold vinyl version of The Slip which contains one 180gm vinyl LP and a
24-page booklet will also be released in the US and Canada on August 12 and
in the UK on August 18.

The Slip, written and performed by Trent Reznor, with Josh Freese, Robin
Finck and Alessandro Cortini, has been downloaded 1.6 million times
worldwide since its online release on May 5, 2008.

NIN's Lights in the Sky Tour opens in Pemberton, Canada on July 25, 2008
with support slots from Crystal Castles, Deerhunter, Does it Offend You,
Yeah and A Place To Bury Strangers.

The latest tour information can be found here ....

iTunes Libraries : recreate, move and more ...

I know there are a few of you out there that have complained about trying to move iTunes libraries around ... I can't vouch for the following - but his other tips are often 'tip top' !

... and 'read all about it' here
- Passed on - and with thanks to : Gordon's Tech

Musicovery : Interactive webRadio

Now here's a little 'billy doo' to try out --- enjoy.
Musicovery

Antonio Forcione

They say he is an "acoustic guitar virtuoso". The Hendrix of the Accoustic Guitar .... do we know - any comments ?
Antonio Forcione
Passed on - with thanks to : John Bilboa

Nektar

Nektar - 'way back then' ... were a personal favorite band that no one has heard of .... 35 years later - they still haven't. JB assures me that they are just as good as ever - so maybe I will go see them in LOndon later in the year when they play - just hope they have moved on - we will see,

The Official Home of Nektar

JB Reports : Nektar concert was in Nov at the Borderline. Terrific live- Roy Albrighton is a fantastic guitarist- don’t know why he’s not recognised a lot more.

Passed on - with thanks to : John Bilboa - one of our contributors - that promises me that he will start contributing soon :)

Evil Urges

My Morning Jacket's new "Evil Urges" has something for almost everyone and it is all good!

The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time : Rolling Stone

The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time : Rolling Stone

Can't recall who sent me this link - but my thanks to him (pretty sure it was a 'him' ...

SwarmTribes - Live

For MUSIC BANDS Swarmtribes is sponsored by NESTA (The National Endownment for Science Technology and the Arts) which means it is totally free to use by bands: Promoting/selling gigs, music and merchandise via the existing fanbase Building mobile fan clubs who work passionately on their behalf  Reaching all their fans on their mobile phones instantly at a single click Making their Myspace/Facebook profiles more effective Getting instant feedback from fans after live concerts Earning up to 25,000 free SMS to engage with existing fans and to attract new fans   We are planning a second phase of SwarmTribes with even more bands in a few weeks time - if you are an ambitious band with an a growing fan base who love texting then book your place on the "SwarmTribes Phase 2 Wait List" now by simply clicking this link.   For MUSIC SPONSORS There are a very limited amount of amazing possibilities for sponsors who want to raise their recognition with the SwarmTribes 15-35 mobile texting music audience in a totally non-intrusive way. For more details contact me by email at support@swarmteams.com

YouTube - Travis All The Young Dudes

Found earlier this week - when I saw the show on TV ....

Travis performing 'All The Young Dudes'

Opeth - Watershed Review - AMG

Take a Read ... this is one review - but I have picked up reviews in a lot of the main press as well - am wondeirng if this is an Opeth breakthrough - on to my shopping list - definitiely.

... with thanks to : All Music, for the information.

Widespread Panic

A different way of using our network --- having lunch with a friend today who mentioned that a band called Widespread Panic; were in the top 50 live acts of the world - personally - never heard of them - so I checked with 'Deming' - the font of so much of the wall knowledge pertaining to music - 'ever heard of them' I pinged ...

"Yes. [He Replied] ... Kind of Grateful-Dead-jam-band with elongated solos and lengthy sets and since GD died have been treated to GD-like camp-followers. I don't think they are as good as GD (or even Phish or String Cheese Incident) but they have been around for a long time and so have garnered some respect.

Later - I checked Wikipedia :

The band has played as many as 250 shows a year, and have ranked among the top 50 grossing touring acts for eight years running [citation needed], doing so without substantial radio airplay, television exposure, or promotion. The band holds sellout records[citation needed] at:

Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver (26 shows),

Oak Mountain Amphitheatre near Birmingham, Ala. (17 shows),

Philips Arena in Atlanta (17 straight sold-out New Year's Eve/December 30th shows), and

UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (18 shows).

The Power of JGM

Midlake

Just discovered these boys today ........ from what I can see (and hear) so far - big fan !!

Midlake

Moonraker by Moonraker

From AMG: "This 2003 release would have terrified a lot of labels because the band's music is so difficult to categorize; the album is relevant to alternative pop/rock, but it's also relevant to urban contemporary, funk, and club/dance music. Some of the tracks would work for Björk or Radiohead; others would work for India.Arie or Erykah Badu. And even though electronica is a major influence, Moonraker opts to play trip-hop, chill-out, and downtempo with real instruments instead of being totally programmed (which is why they call themselves "livetronica" instead of electronica). But if Moonraker's experimentation sounds like a marketing person's nightmare — at least in the United States, where commercial radio formats can be extremely rigid — it is pure joy from a creative and artistic standpoint." I am late to another party but at least I arrived: this group is impressive... Again AMG: "...all of the pieces fall into place perfectly, making the album sound natural and organic instead of forced or pretentious."

Jesus and Gravity and the Backwoods Barbie

Dolly Parton released"Backwoods Barbie" on her own label this year. As AMG says, "unlike her last couple of albums, which were bluegrass-based, she isn't trying to reinvent herself here, but works in her usual pop and country hybrid style...and it would take a good deal of marketing and luck for any of these tracks to hit the top of the new country charts, but it shows that Parton can still deliver the package in fine style and only the fools among us would ever count her down and out, no matter how many bluegrass albums she does." The song "Jesus and Gravity" is one of the standouts from an album worth mentioning if for no other reason than it has been "nearly two decades since she put out anything close to a mainstream country offering, so Backwoods Barbie ought to get some serious media attention..." and it is solid enough to deserve it.

Discovering Jacqui Naylor

From AMG: Jacqui Naylor is not an easy artist to categorize. There are times when she performs straight-ahead vocal jazz, but at other times she favors more of a folk-rock/adult alternative approach. Depending on the mood she is in at a given moment, the northern Californian can bring to mind anyone from Cassandra Wilson or British jazz vocalist Claire Martin to Sarah McLachlan or Shawn Colvin — she is as comfortable among jazz improvisers as she is in the singer/songwriter world. During one of her live performances, Naylor has no problem singing smoky jazz one minute and folk-rock or adult alternative the next — and there are times when she blurs the line between the two.

I recommend her album "The Color Five" which includes cool versions of "Lola" (Kinks) and "Hot Legs" (Stewart) in addition to other covers and some solid tunes co-written by Jacqui. I think she turns everything she does on this album "smoky" or funky regardless of the original source.

Her career goes back to at least 1999 but I just discovered her in the last couple of months via this album at emusic.

Jakob Dylan

Wallflowers' main man Jakob Dylan (yep, son of you-know-who) is releasing his first solo album, Seeing Things, in June. Just FYI.

Songfacts.com

I stumbled on this fun site.

See that music?

Love this picture.

Slice The Pie

Now here is a fun little web site that we all might enjoy :)

What is Slicethepie?
Slicethepie is a place where artists can raise money direct from their fans to professionally record and release an album. We do this by turning every music fan into a record label. The existing industry model is based on a few record labels providing a lot of money to 100's of artists. Slicethepie enables a model where millions of music fans each provide a little money to 1,000's of artists.

Check It Out

Kathleen Ferrier and The Vienna Philharmonic

An old email from Bob Smith that I unearthed this morning - thought I would post it to JGM - see what we all think ....

Kathleen Ferrier. UM MITTERNACHT. 1952. Vienna Philharmonic

passed on - with thanks to Bob S (our fellow contributor)

BTW - sent the link to my dad who thought it was terrific.

Compound Radio

From a fellow blogger ... Compound Radio

"I just discovered this cool online radio show 'Compound Radio'. They play cool music. That is it. Nothing more or less. Duane and Corey both have shows ... Very cool indeed.

passed on - with thanks to : Music Filter

Gavin Harrison

In 2008, Gavin will be joining King Crimson as part of a dual-drummer lineup with Pat Mastelotto, according to Robert Fripp's blog.

... with thanks to : Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the source.

Music tax??

The music industry is like a wounded badger backed into a corner. It's dying, and it's dangerous.

I can see the logic behind "creating a pool of money" that can be shared among artists based on pay-for-play model. This migration from music as a product to music as a service is already underway and it's unstoppable. What I don't see is the need for the traditional music industry infrastructure to run it.

Fortunately, it's Warner behind this initiative. Their legacy of sponsorship for gangsta rap (and they are currently acquiring Death Row Records) ensures failure. The American public isn't going to subsidize the bailout of the dying music industry with involuntary taxes on Internet use if cop-hating, drug-glorifying, violence promoting front men are in charge. Still, if you're based in the USA, you might want to lob a call into your congressman on this one.

Lead Singer - The Move - 1968

.. so who else is reminded of Ben Stiller ?

The minimalists

One of the things that has interested me over the years has been minimalist music. It started when I heard a version of Terry Riley's In C in about 1972. A group of musicians all play the note C on various pianos but all at slightly different rhythms. The result is a very complex and shifting piece that has a hypnotic effect which is both very absorbing and very irritating at the same time! There have been lots of minimalist composers over the years, among them John Adams, Philip Glass and Steve Reich being perhaps the most famous though all have moved away from the very strict rhythmic pieces to something more complex. Of these perhaps the best I have found has been Steve Reich's Different Trains in a version by the Kronos Quartet. It is well worth a listen and very haunting.

The Medium Is The Message Is The Medium ...

*The boy bands have won, and all the copyists and the tribute bands and the TV talent show producers have won, if we allow our culture to be shaped by mimicry, whether from lack of ideas or from exaggerated respect. You should never try to freeze culture. What you can do is recycle that culture. Take your older brother’s hand-me-down jacket and re-style it, re-fashion it to the point where it becomes your own. But don’t just regurgitate creative history, or hold art and music and literature as fixed, untouchable and kept under glass. The people who try to ‘guard’ any particular form of music are, like the copyists and manufactured bands, doing it the worst disservice, because the only thing that you can do to music that will damage it is not change it, not make it your own. Because then it dies, then it’s over, then it’s done, and the boy bands have won."

... I haven't heard the album yet - BUT - if the album title - and I believe this is it - contains any essence of the content - well !

Chumbawumba

Leningrad Cowboys and The Red Army Choir ..

... deliver Sweet Home Alabama

Discovered these boys sometime back in the 90s ... bought the album - but it is the first time that I have seen them in action ... had to flag it as humour as well.

Enjoy.

Even Less

A body is washed up on a Norfolk beach
He was a friend that I could not reach
He thought I was cold but I understand
But for the grace of god goes another man

And I may just waste away from doing nothing
But you're a martyr for even less

A choirboy is buried on the moors
Where we used to go dreaming when we were bored
So some kids are best left to fend for themselves
And others were born to stack shelves

And I may just waste away from doing nothing
But you're a martyr for even less

0096 2251 2110 8105

Fripp and The Tree

Read The Review Here

Recalling Bob's comment to one of my posts - "what about Robert Fripp" .... thought you might enjoy this review. Came to me as I was listening "We Lost The Skyline" ... the latest 'quasi Tree album' - actually Wilson and Wesley .... and on track 4 he is talking through the 'Normal' riff - and how Fripp advised him how to handle it .....

Indexing My Lists

I recently reconnected with two very long standing friends that I was a University with. It was fun - and in a short space of time - we really caught up on life. Ok - how you fit 30 years into 7 hours is tough - but you get the drift ....

Anyway - during the conversation - we started (inevitably) on music - and challenged each other on selecting the 10 great tracks that the other two need to be aware of. Sounded good at the time - however I failed, and instead produce 5 such lists ...

I decided at the same time that I would post the responses to JGM, to see if there are others out there who have a view - and want to publish their lists ...

One more final 'self imposed' rule - I have avoided the obvious big names, popular tracks, albums of note etc etc - instead seeking to focus on a different perspective of really cool stuff that you normally just might not come across - though the immediate contributors are wise enough to likely know a lot of this already - I just look forward to their contributions in turn.

Honorable Mentions .... The Soundtrack of my 'Formative Years'

Floyd, Genesis, ELP, Focus, Barclay James Harvest, Supertramp, Yes, Camel, Moody Blues, Roxy Music, Santana, Bowie, Tull, Caravan, Camel

Nucleus (Ian Carr), John Mayall, Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt, Lou Reed ...

Radiohead, Talking Heads, Cure, REM, U2

Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Gordon Lightfoot, Ralph McTell ...

Pulp, Blur, Kasabian, Muse, Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters, Razorlight ...

Royskopp, Sasha, John Digweed, Arling and Cameron, Paul Oakenfold, Portishead, Cocteau Twins, The Orb, DJ 'xxx', Air, Egg, Art of Noise, Dead Can Dance, Royskopp - and just try 'Fever' by Adam Freeland

.... you know the bands and the people as well as I do - so they don't get listed in my lists without REAL reason - and so to the posts ...

Index To The Other Posts

... and though I say 10 - the mathematically inclined amongst you will spot that there aren't 10 - I have also decided that these lists are going to be live lists - and depending what I think going forward - as others pick up and comment - they might change - but will certainly be added to .....

'Ten' Great Tracks - That Might Not Be On The Usual Lists ...

'Ten' Great Tracks - From Bands You Might Not Have Heard Of ...

'Ten' Great Musicians - Who Have Influenced My Musical Tastes ...

'Ten' Great Bands - That You Might Not Have Tracked - But Should Check Out ...

'Ten' Great Albums - That You Might Not Have Picked Up On ....

Still thinking if I need the list of just GREAT Musicians ?

'Bob' Has Joined The Party

Our classical contributor is not just posting comments - he is up close and personally registered - so am hoping for more postings.

'Ten' Great Tracks - That Might Not Be On The Usual Lists ...

Dire Straits - Telegraph Road

Genesis - Afterglow

Dar Williams - Are You Out There

Richard Hawley - 'thinking'.

Verve - 'there is one - alzheimers'

Cat Stevens - Father and Son - also - I know, I know - check out the Cat Stevens/Ronan Keating version

Paul Weller - Wild Wood

List Index
Announcement .... and yes - aware that each list doesn't have TEN - because as I think more - I will likely edit these posts ... so they will all live on - and change .... are you allowed to do that with a BLOG ?

'Ten' Great Tracks - That Might Not Be On The Usual Lists ...

'Ten' Great Tracks - From Bands You Might Not Have Heard Of ...

'Ten' Great Musicians - Who Have Influenced My Musical Tastes ...

'Ten' Great Bands - That You Might Not Have Tracked - But Should Check Out ...

'Ten' Great Albums - That You Might Not Have Picked Up On ....

'Ten' Great Tracks - From Bands You Might Not Have Heard Of ...

... But You Should Really Take A Listen.

My Morning Jacket -

Secret Machines -

Flaming Lips -

Divine Comedy - National Express

Blackfield -

Porcupine Tree - Disappear, Piano

Wondermints -

B-Tribe - La Guitara - from 'Spiritual Spiritual - and while I am here - Fiesta Fatal - from the album of the same name

Jon Lord - Pavane

List Index
Announcement .... and yes - aware that each list doesn't have TEN - because as I think more - I will likely edit these posts ... so they will all live on - and change .... are you allowed to do that with a BLOG ?

'Ten' Great Tracks - That Might Not Be On The Usual Lists ...

'Ten' Great Tracks - From Bands You Might Not Have Heard Of ...

'Ten' Great Musicians - Who Have Influenced My Musical Tastes ...

'Ten' Great Bands - That You Might Not Have Tracked - But Should Check Out ...

'Ten' Great Albums - That You Might Not Have Picked Up On ....