::yawn::

Best Buy Snags Guns N' Roses Album Exclusive
September 26, 2008

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Best Buy is set to be the exclusive retailer for Guns N' Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new album "Chinese Democracy" before year's end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.

The news brings a semblance of closure to the bizarre history of "Democracy," which Guns N' Roses has been working on since the mid-1990s. Since then, every original member of the once mighty group has left besides vocalist Axl Rose, and millions of dollars have been spent working on the new material.

"Democracy" was most recently on the Interscope release schedule in March 2007. The endless delays encountered by the project reached comic levels this spring, when soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008.

In June, nine purported "mastered, finished" tracks from the album were leaked online, prompting an FBI investigation into their source. A sign "Chinese Democracy" was perhaps finally nearing release came in July, when the band agreed to debut new track "Shackler's Revenge" in the video game "Rock Band 2," which hit stores earlier this month.

Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" through Wal-Mart in 2007, much to the chagrin of other merchants, but the album was a runaway hit, having sold 3.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

i mean really, does anyone actually care about this fool and his music anymore? (personally, i thought that were one of, if not the most over-rated act in the history of pop music)

and i hate these big, upfront payoff, exclusive deals w/big retailers. hedging your best are you axl?

Jeff Tweedy - Addresses People Talking During Concert

and speaking of mr. tweedy...this is wonderful...



for the life of me, i do not understand these inconsiderate idiots that plunk down the price of a ticket and then go to a show and run their mouth for two solid hours and ruin the experience for everyone around them.

way to go jeff, wish more artists would do the same.

Wilco offers free song if you promise to vote

photo courtesy Richie Wireman

Wilco offers free song if you promise to vote
By Jeremy Medina [from Paste.com]

With the Nov. 4 presidential election looming and slowly becoming a reality (after what feels like an eternity of campaigning), Wilco has decided to take it upon itself to rally people to vote.

Through their website, Jeff Tweedy (above) and company are offering a free download of a cover of the 1967 Bob Dylan song "I Shall Be Released," recorded with Fleet Foxes live on tour in Bend, Ore. All one has to do is simply enter a name and e-mail address and click the button "I pledge to vote," and a download link is sent via e-mail.

"Such tumultuous times," the band says on the site. "And in the spirit of giveaways that seem to be sweeping the nation, we've got something free for you. No it's not a pile of cash (sorry) but rather an audio postcard of sorts from a summer's night in Oregon with our friends the Fleet Foxes & a lovely Bob Dylan tune. All we ask is you check the 'I pledge to vote in the 2008 Election' button below."

Notice how they never even mention either candidate. How diplomatic of them. Head here to give Wilco your pledge, and here to register to vote.

Cash recording to be released with new documentary

Cash recording to be released with new documentary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — An unreleased recitation by Johnny Cash will be available as part of a new documentary examining Cash's views on America. In "I Am The Nation," the deep-voiced singer personifies the country with references to important events and people in American history.

The recording was discovered in Cash's personal belongings after his death. It will be released as part of "Johnny Cash's America," a documentary airing Oct. 23 on the Biography Channel. The companion DVD/CD package on Legacy Recordings will be available Oct. 28.

The documentary features interviews with Bob Dylan; Al Gore; Snoop Dogg; Sheryl Crow; Steve Earle; Kris Kristofferson; Loretta Lynn; Merle Haggard; U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander; Tim Robbins; Vince Gill; Cash; his sister, Joanne; and his children, John Carter Cash and Cindy Cash.

In the film, Cash, who was outspoken on social issues, discusses the political process and the two parties.

"The whole film and soundtrack are poignant for what's going on in the political climate right now," said Charlie Dougiello, a spokesman for the project.

New Music/CD Releases - September 30, 2008

Bill's Pick of the Week

Gemma Hayes - The Hollow of Morning
1 At Constant Speed
2 Chasing Dragons
3 Don't Forget
4 Home
5 In Over My Head
6 January 14th
7 Out of Your Hands
8 Sad 'Ol Song
9 This Is What You Do
10 Under a Canopy

Releases for Tuesday, September 30th
Anberlin - New Surrender
Ani Difranco - Red Letter Year
Ben Folds - Way to Normal
Dream Theatre - Chaos In Motion (CD/DVD)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Songs to Learn and Sing
Enigma - Seven Lives Many Faces (2 CDs)
Faith Hill - Joy To The World
Gemma Hayes - The Hollow of Morning
Grateful Dead - Live Egypt 1978 (CD/DVD)
Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
James Morrison - Songs for You, Truths for Me
James Taylor - Covers
Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight
Jesus & The Mary Chain - Rarities (4 CD Boxed Set)
Joseph Arthur - Temporary People
Joshua Radin - Simple Times
Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler
Laura Fygi - Rendez-Vous
Mary Chapin Carpenter - Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs Christmas
Matt Belsante - White Christmas
Melissa Etheridge - A New Thought For Christmas
Robin Thicke - Something Else
T.I. - Paper Trail
Taj Mahal - Maestro
Tom Morello - The Fabled City
Travis - Ode to J. Smith
U2 - Red Rocks (DVD)


and remember, whenever possible buy your music directly from the artist(s) or your local independent record store. both could become endangered without your support.




click here for a list of exclusives available @ indie stores and for a list of stores

Ben Sollee

i just stumbled across these videos of ben. a couple of my favorites of his, one original and a beautiful cover of sam cooke's "a change is gonna come." in this political season, just seemed appropriate to post them.

i'll dedicate these to john mccain...


ben sollee - "a few honest words"


ben sollee - "a change is gonna come"

Coming to a memory card near you...

Four Major Labels Make Deal To Release Memory Card Albums; Weezer, Elvis Among the First Wave

The slow segue from CD to MP3 took a giant step forward today when it was announced that SanDisk had reached a deal with all four major labels to begin selling memory card albums of both new acts and classic artists. The one-gig Micro SD cards will make their first appearance in Best Buys and Wal-Marts in time for the holiday season. Each memory card will contain the album in all its 320kbps and DRM-free glory. The music industry, trying to fight off rapidly decreasing annual CD sales, hopes the memory card’s immediate accessibility with cell phones, computers and MP3 players will result in a revenue renaissance. The initial batch of micro carded albums will feature 29 artists, including Weezer, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Elvis Presley. This doesn’t mark the first time the major labels have experimented with memory cards: last year, UMG celebrated the anniversary of Bob Marley’s Exodus by releasing a limited edition USB stick, while EMI got revenge for Radiohead’s exodus from the label by releasing a memory stick with the band’s entire non-In Rainbows discography. This new round of memory stick albums will sell for between $7 and $10 apiece — much cheaper than the standard price of the antiquated CD.