Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (03/16/2010 @ 10:51 pm)
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the estate of Michael Jackson and Sony have reached a record-setting deal worth $250 million. The terms guarantee the estate at least $200 million while giving Sony the rights to produce 10 albums of both new and previously material over the next seven years.
Since Mr. Jackson’s death on June 25, Sony has sold an estimated 31 million of his albums globally. By the first anniversary of his death, his estate expects to have earned $250 million from sales of music, merchandise and tickets to the posthumous concert film “This Is It.”
The advances being paid by Sony are to be offset by sales of albums as well as revenue generated by licensing Mr. Jackson’s music for uses like videogames, movies and theatrical performances. But unlike the megadeals struck in recent years by concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment Inc. with pop stars Jay-Z and Madonna, the Jackson deal doesn’t give Sony income from other parts of the late singer’s business, such as merchandise sales or fees for licensing his name and likeness.
With deals such as this between a business and an estate, the business certainly employs more of a long-term strategy to making a profit. Michael Jackson’s estate, however, had to act quickly since it had a massive debt to pay off the massive debt caused by the King of Pop’s spending in recent years. Sony simply realizes everlasting appeal of Michael Jackson’s music. With the cash to back it, I think it safe to safe the company will recoup its investment.
After a 2009 that featured a headlining set at Coachella and the inaugural concerts at New York’s Citi Field, Paul McCartney will return to the stage this year with his “Up and Coming” tour, which will stop at unique venues and rarely visited cities throughout the U.S. The trek begins March 28th at Phoenix, Arizona’s Jobing.com Arena, marking the first time McCartney has visited the state since his 2005 tour. On March 30th, McCartney returns to the Hollywood Bowl for the first time since 1993. The exclusive pre-sale for both shows is going on now at McCartney’s official Website, with a general public onsale scheduled for February 28th.
McCartney promises more shows are on tap for 2010.
I heard great things from people who’s opinions I respect regarding his performance at Coachella, so I assume McCartney has enough left in the tank to continue touring. Despite a surprise appearance at a Paul Simon concert, I’ve never seen him live. As this may be the last jaunt of his career, it’s probably better not to risk it and just buy a ticket to a show out here in Los Angeles when it becomes available. I don’t want to regret not seizing the opportunity.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (02/12/2010 @ 12:35 am)
To the delight of many, Iggy and the Stooges were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. Of course, the album that garnered the band its adoration over time was Raw Power, originally released in 1973. It’s one of those albums that deserves to be done up with nice packaging and coveted rarities. Like Iggy and the Stooges’ Hall induction, a decent reissue for their best album is long overdue, but at least Sony is going all out to make sure the buyer gets their bang for their buck.
From Pitchfork.com:
On April 13, Columbia/Legacy will release Raw Power: Legacy Edition. Two weeks later, on April 27, they’ll follow it up with the even more deluxe Deluxe Edition.
The Legacy Edition will include a remastered version of the original album, featuring David Bowie’s original mix, on its first disc. The second disc, titled Georgia Peaches, includes a complete recording of a heavily bootlegged Atlanta live show from 1973– with two previously unreleased bonus tracks to boot: the studio outtake “Doojiman” and a studio rehearsal performance of “Head On”. It’ll also include a 24-page booklet with essays about the band and introductions from surviving members.
All that stuff will also show up in the Deluxe Edition. Both discs will share space with a third disc, Rarities, Outtakes, & Alternates From the Raw Power Era, which will include eight tracks from different sources (five of them previously unreleased). The fourth disc is a 30-minute documentary DVD called The Making of Raw Power.
And yeah, there’s more. You’ll also get a reproduction of a rare Japanese picture sleeve 7″ single of “Raw Power” and “Search and Destroy”, five 5×7 photo prints, and a 7″ softcover booklet with an essay by Henry Rollins and testimonials from prominent folks like Lou Reed, Joan Jett, Tom Morello, and others. Before the April 27 release date, the box will be available exclusively through the Stooges’ website. Stooges nerds, start saving your money.
I feel like I need to wait 30 years before buying an album — when it arrives with all the frills. It will take just take patience and incredible thriftiness.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (02/09/2010 @ 8:48 pm)
During the Super Bowl, an Air Force ad ran featuring a song strikingly similar to the White Stripes’ “Fell in Love with a Girl.” Like most bands, the White Stripes don’t appreciate having their songs ripped, and they were swift in letting the culprits know about it.
From Rolling Stone:
“We believe our song was re-recorded and used without permission of the White Stripes, our publishers, label or management,” the band writes in a statement on their official Website. “We have not licensed this song to the Air Force Reserve and we plan to take strong action to stop the ad containing this music.” Watch the offending commercial on the Air Force Reserve site. UPDATE: The video and page housing it have both been pulled from the Air Force Reserve site.
“The White Stripes takes strong insult and objection to the Air Force Reserves presenting this advertisement with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war we do not support,” the Stripes write. “The White Stripes support this nation’s military, at home and during times when our country needs and depends on them. We simply don’t want to be a cog in the wheel of the current conflict, and hope for a safe and speedy return home for our troops.”
Bad move, Air Force. The Super Bowl is the last place you want to advertise if you’re trying to avoid copyright infringement.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (02/08/2010 @ 9:36 pm)
Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician hired by Michael Jackson to help him prepare for his comeback tour, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in the singer’s death.
From Yahoo! News:
Dr. Conrad Murray appeared in court in a gray suit as Jackson’s father Joe, mother Katherine, and siblings LaToya, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Randy watched from courtroom seats behind prosecutors.
Neither Murray nor the Jacksons showed much emotion as Murray entered his plea through his attorney Ed Chernoff.
“We need justice,” Joe Jackson said outside court.
Earlier, several people shouted “murderer” as Murray walked past a crowd of hundreds of reporters and Jackson fans on his way to a courthouse adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport.
Murray, 56, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25, entered his plea just hours after he was charged.
Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz set bail at $75,000, three times more than the amount most people face after being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors had been seeking $300,000 bail for Murray, who was taken into custody by deputies but not handcuffed in public. He was expected to be released later in the day.
At the time of his death, Jackson was using various painkillers — notably propofol — to treat his chronic insomnia. Since propofol can cut one’s breathing and heart rate while lowering blood pressure, only physicians with the qualified training can administer the drug, and in a medical setting no less. The prosecution is stating that Murray illegally obtained the propofol and then was negligent in monitoring Jackson’s use. The charges carry a sentence of up to four years in prison.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (02/05/2010 @ 1:53 pm)
This year’s Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago is already shaping up nicely. Announced today, the first batch of bands includes the reunited Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, and many other fan favorites.
From Pitchfork.com:
The Pitchfork Music Festival will hit Union Park in Chicago July 16-18. And this year’s lineup is seriously amazing. We’ve got the reunited Pavement! Holy shit! Not to mention indie godheads Modest Mouse, James Murphy’s dance-punk juggernaut LCD Soundsystem, Wu-Tang Clan master chef Raekwon, St. Vincent, Lightning Bolt, Cass McCombs, Sleigh Bells, and Here We Go Magic.
All that is only the beginning. This year’s Pitchfork Music Festival will feature more bands than ever before and a longer day of music on Friday.
Tickets go on sale at noon Central time today at TicketWeb. Single-day passes cost $40, and three-day passes cost $90. (There are no two-day passes this year.) Keep watching this space for more details.
Besides Coachella, this is the other music festival I’d want to attend. I’ve only been to Chicago once, but its appreciation for great music was incredibly obvious.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (01/25/2010 @ 2:59 pm)
On March 9, Matador will release Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement in light of the band’s worldwide reunion tour. I usually stay away from compilations if they don’t contain unreleased material, but Pavement deserves its own given the band’s stature. I expected Quarantine the Past to contain fan favorites, but also selections the band enjoys to play. In looking at the track list recently unveiled on the Matablog, I can say that those involved really did a great job putting it together.
The track list is below:
Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement
01 Gold Soundz (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
02 Frontwards (Watery, Domestic EP)
03 Mellow Jazz Docent (Perfect Sound Forever EP)
04 Stereo (Brighten the Corners)
05 In the Mouth a Desert (Slanted & Enchanted)
06 Two States (Slanted & Enchanted)
07 Cut Your Hair (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
08 Shady Lane / J Vs. S (Brighten the Corners)
09 Here (Slanted & Enchanted)
10 Unfair (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
11 Grounded (Wowee Zowee)
12 Summer Babe (Winter Version) (Slanted & Enchanted)
13 Range Life (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
14 Date w/ IKEA (Brighten the Corners)
15 Debris Slide (Perfect Sound Forever EP)
16 Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse) (Watery, Domestic EP)
17 Spit on a Stranger (Terror Twilight)
18 Heaven Is a Truck (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
19 Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite at :17 (Slanted and Enchanted)
20 Embassy Row (Brighten the Corners)
21 Box Elder (Slay Tracks 1933-1969 EP)
22 Unseen Power of the Picket Fence (No Alternative compilation)
23 Fight This Generation (Wowee Zowee)
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (12/31/2009 @ 9:10 pm)
Earlier in the week, news hit that Van Morrison had a new son. Turns out, the Irish Cowboy’s website was hacked.
Two days ago, Morrison’s Web site posted a message announcing the birth of his new son, George Ivan Morrison III.
Yet, on the eve of the New Year the singer says the message was hacked onto his site by an unknown prankster, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
In a statement, the 64-year-old legend said the claims of him being a new father are “completely and utterly” unfounded.
The posting has since been taken down.
The original statement claimed Morrison’s touring producer, Gigi Lee, had given birth to the boy, and that the son was “the spitting image of his daddy.”
“Claims were made relating to my personal life in a ’statement’ purporting to come from me,” Morrison said in a statement. “The comments which appeared on my Web site did not come from me. They are….without foundation.
“For the avoidance of all doubt, and in the interest of clarity,” he continued, “I am very happily married to Michelle Morrison, with whom I have two wonderful children.”
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (12/31/2009 @ 6:29 pm)
Crappy music will always have an audience. Look no further than to newcomer Ke$ha who’s song “Tik Tok” just set a record for downloads in one week by a female artist. The atrocious single was downloaded 619,000 times, surpassing Lady Gaga’s record of 419,000 for “Just Dance.”
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (12/29/2009 @ 7:44 pm)
Sometime yesterday Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, drummer of popular metal act Avenged Sevenfold, was found dead at his home in Huntington Beach, CA. Initial reports say Sullivan died of natural causes.
“It appeared to be natural causes,” said Lt. John Domingo of the Huntington Beach Police Department. “It’s a coroner’s case.”
“The decedent is a 28-year-old male discovered unresponsive inside of his residence,” the Coroner’s Department stated on its Web site. It said that an “investigation is ongoing.”
Avenged Sevenfold issued a statement on its Web site Monday.
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we tell you of the passing today of Jimmy `The Rev’ Sullivan,” the statement said.
“Jimmy was not only one of the world’s best drummers, but more importantly he was our best friend and brother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jimmy’s family and we hope you will respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
Sullivan is survived by his wife, Leana MacFadden.
I have a couple friends who cherish this band. Although I’m not a fan of their sound, I will say that the drumming is pleasantly intense. My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.
