Numerous rappers have said it before, but "cash rules everything around me." It is no secret that money makes the world go 'round, unfortunately. And, unfortunately that means music too. The music industry is a slave to currency just as much as any other corporation. What happened? Where did the freedom to spread the music and spread the love go? What ever happened to pure, unadulterated freedom of expression? Money happened, that's what.

This sad truth comes out especially over the fight for music rights. Now, I am all for people to have a lock on their intellectual and creative property, but sometimes there is a very fine line between copyright violations and honoring a person through their music. If I were to write a song that achieved commercial success, and then someone was to come to me and say, "I would like to cover your song on my album," I would be honored. I would be honored because I have no money and have never achieved commercial music success, so the mere fact that someone else even likes my music enough to reproduce it is beyond me. However, for people who have achieved commercial success, they could probably care less and would scoff at the idea of someone making money on their talent.

A movie about the life of Jimi Hendrix has been in the works for years now. Even Andre 3000 of Outkast has been cast to play Jimi. Spin.com has an article explaining the excitement of the upcoming film, but the snags they have hit along the way. Mainly that they may be shooting a movie about Jimi Hendrix with no Jimi Hendrix music. How could this be? Well, the Hendrix family, mainly Jimi's father and sister, own the exclusive rights to all Jimi Hendrix music under the title "Hendrix Experience LLC." Yes, they have made Jimi Hendrix a corporate enterprise. Shame, shame.

As of right now, the Hendrix family has not made any official statements as to whether they will license some tracks to the movie production, but they seem to be a stonewall. I read this article, and bring you this story, not to critique it, but to complain about how annoying I find this process. A person wants to make a movie honoring the life of Jimi Hendrix, bringing to light his musical genius for a generation of music lovers that never got to experience him. Still, the Hendrix film won't allow it. That's like telling a city they can't erect a statue of you in the town square, because the statue will never match up to the beauty of the real you. Why not let these great filmmakers use a few Jimi Hendrix songs to highlight his genius? Well, the Hendrix family will tell you it is complicated, and it is what Jimi would have wanted. What they won't tell you is that they don't want someone else making money off of their enterprise.

Good People, let's let music be free. Let creativity reign. Most of all, let us know the difference between stealing, and honoring.

Read the Article Here: http://www.spin.com/articles/andre-3000-may-be-starring-hendrix-biopic-no-jimi-tunes

Remembering Adam Yauch

This past week the world of music lost one of its beloved members. Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, died of cancer at the age of 47. As member of the Beastie Boys, MCA was one of the most influential members of one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time. The Beastie Boys are definitely not for everyone, but it cannot be denied that they changed the face of hip-hop, punk rock, and even the spin-off genre, rap-metal.

Many articles were published following MCA's death, perhaps one of the most touching written by the managing editor of Consequenceofsound.com, Jeremy D. Larson. Larson artfully crafts a statement concerning the sad loss of Adam Yauch. I encourage everyone to read the brief, yet touching article. Larson comments that he never knew Yauch very well but he really wishes that he had. He writes about the specific moments when he first heard the Beastie Boys' ground breaking albums, like License to Ill and Paul's Boutique. If anything, Larson's article brings about a nostalgia for every reader. I remember the first time I heard The Beastie Boys. It was loud, raw, and uncomfortable, evoking the angst that comes about in every boys life. It was pure freedom. The Beastie Boys were the voice of independence and anarchy for a generation.

Now, I was well acclimated to the Beastie Boys as I awkwardly stumbled into middle school. The Beastie Boys never really had a "height" of their career, rather they reached new heights with each new album. I got to experience a couple in my lifetime. But what about all those kids, about five years younger than I that barely missed the Beastie Boys? As sad as the death of anyone is, sometimes the death of someone famous brings new light to their career. Of course, the world be a better place if it still had one more person in it, but now so many people who never got to experience the Beastie Boys will discover them. There have been many cases of this in recent past. After Michael Jacksons death he suddenly became famous for his music, and no longer his court cases amongst young generations. After the death of Whitney Houston just a few months ago, people who had never even thought to listen to her suddenly became her biggest fan. My hope is that the same will happen for Adam "MCA" Yauch, and the Beastie Boys. His innovations and contributions to the music world are ones that should be recognized and awarded. according to everyone close to him, Yauch was just a great guy. Kind, smart, funny, loving, respectful, and compassionate.

I've never really met anyone famous, but like Larson, I too wish I had known Adam Yauch, or least been a fly on the wall when the Beastie Boys assembled to make their first album. May MCA and all his accomplishments be forever immortalized in his music.

RIP Adam "MCA" Yauch

Read the article here: http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/05/cos-remembers-adam-yauch-mca-of-the-beastie-boys/

Watch "Sabatoge" by The Beastie Boys

Spin's 100 Greatest guitarists Of All Time... really?

Last week Spin Magazine released it's list of the 100 greatest guitarists, according to them. Needless to say, I did not approve of their choices. Numerous "top 100" lists have been created by a variety of publications. Many of them contain similarities and differences, some good, some bad, but Spin is just off of the board completely. Spin is known for being a music publication that is always seeking to be different, which is respectable, but there is such thing as too different. Spins list contained wild cards left and right, and more importantly they failed to include some of the most legendary guitarists of all time. Do not get my wrong, I'm not one to fall prey to the hype of a certain musician, but just because a musician is popular does not mean they aren't incredible. So I ask Spin this question: "How on earth can you compile a list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time and not include the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, or Chuck Berry? I will give them this, Spin got some things right. For instance, they managed to get Prince, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Ramone, and Jack White on the list. There were some great picks here and there, however there were some picks that I would say were completely wretched. For example, number 100 on the list was Skrillex. Skrillex is a dubstep artist, a music created entirely on a computer. There are no instruments involved what so ever. Dubstep is glorified club music on acid. Skrillex never even touches a guitar when he creates his music, but Spin thought he deserved a spot because he manipulates the sounds of other guitarists.

Furthermore, not even Spin's pick for the number one spot is one that I agree with. The honors actually went to Leo Ranaldo and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. All I have to say is, "Seriously? Sonic Youth? Yes, they have given the world of progressive, indie rock much inspiration, and are considered the forefathers of the modern indie music movement, but this countdown is not the 100 most inspiring guitarists of all time. In my humble opinion, Thurston Moore could not even come close to keeping up with Jimmy Page or even Jimi Hendrix. All are pioneers in their own right, but Page could play Thurston Moore under the table any day.

All of this to say, different is not always better. These days it seems like Spin is just trying way too hard to be different. They pick these obscure bands in an effort to be unique. There have been numerous top 100 guitarists lists, so I can understand why Spin would want to do something different. However, you can't beat a classic, and there is simply no justification for their not including the legends that really deserve a spot. So, be different, be unique, have your own opinion, but don't let the effort to be "underground" give you a voice of condescension and a complete ignorance of the truth of music

http://www.spin.com/articles/spins-100-greatest-guitarists-all-time?page=10

Jack White Changes the Way Artists Release New Singles... AGAIN

Jack White- the Willy Wonka of the music world. He is a genius in his own right, creating sounds we've never heard, doing it in a way that it has never been done. His factory is Third Man Records, the cornerstone of his underground empire. Nestled between train tracks and a homeless shelter in southeast Nashville, Third Man Records is a small warehouse filled with nooks and crannies with a surprise around every turn, or so the people who are actually allowed past the first room say. Third Man is of course home to the Third Man Record store where every thing Jack White has ever touched is sold. This is including, but not limited to, every album ever made by all of his bands- The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, and all of the albums he has produced, such as Loretta Lynn, and even Conan O'Brien. But, beyond this eclectic record store lay a wonderland of music. Within Third Man there is a sound booth and recording studio, a rehearsal stage, a photo room and darkroom, and of course Jack White's office, which contains a vault of every first pressing of every record White has produced. All of that to say, Third Man is perhaps the most innovative and mysterious Record Label ever. Just When everyone thought they could not get any more innovative, they did.

Enter the flexi disc balloon launch. The event was first posted on Third Man's website with a video of the launch itself. However, the story spread like wildfire to a number of music news websites and blogs. The article on theaudioperv.com is the one referenced here. Jack White and Thirdman have been releasing singles off the upcoming album, "Blunderbuss" in the same old average way. There has been releases on itunes, and Third Man has put out 7" singles for the songs "Love Interruption" and "Sixteen Saltines." Third Man took releasing the next Jack White single to new heights (literally). Three weeks before the release of the album White and his Third Man crew attached 1,000 flexi discs to 1,000 helium filled balloons and launched them from the Third Man headquarters. Statistics show that only about ten percent of the discs will actually be found by a person. Despite this, the 100 flexi discs found will become valuable collector's items over the years.

Pictured left is a flexi disc, literally a 7" flexible vinyl disc, with a postcard attached asking people to return the card with where they found the disc and a picture of themselves with the disc
















Jack White and Third Man Records are changing the way we spread media. This dispersing of flexi discs may not be the most practical way to get a new single out to the public, but it is innovative and ingenious. It instantly makes a cheap flexi disc a valuable collectors item, and it gained a lot of attention from media and fans. What this act shows us is that there is more to media promotion than just a facebook post, or a tweet, or a catchy youtube video. Jack White inspires musicians, and artists to return to the roots of media dispersion. It is like an email versus a message in a bottle. Yes, One is more practical, but the latter is more memorable, and that is the difference.

Watch The Balloon Launch

Read the post direct from Third Man here: http://www.thirdmanrecords.com/news/view/jack-white-flexi-discs-distributed-via-balloon-launch

Read the article from theaudiperv.com here: http://theaudioperv.com/2012/04/02/third-man-records-launch-new-jack-white-flexi-cds-via-1000-balloon-launch/

The Shins Return

The Shins released the first studio album in 5 years, "Port of Morrow," on March 20th to many mixed reviews. Loyal fans were split down the middle; to one side the pleased, to the other the disappointed. Some long time fans were displeased with the unfamiliar line up of musicians on the record, saying that the only person consistent in the Shins is James Mercer. Others argue that James Mercer is The Shins. The reality is that James Mercer started the Shins as his own one man band, the project evolved, and Mercer added members as needed to suit his creative vision. The Shins is Mercer's project, so his creativity reigns, and that is nothing to complain about. Mercer is nothing short of a genius, and his music shows.

There is review after review on websites and music magazines alike, all of them different, but none quite satisfying. None do "Port of Morrow" justice, and none give Mercer the credit he deserves, except for the review on Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork is an esteemed online music magazine, and a picky one at that. There musical tastes are borderline pompous and pretentious, and until they deemed The Shins's "Port of Morrow" best new music, many thought Pitchfork didn't like any of the music they reviewed at all.

Larry Fitzmaurice was spot on in his review of "Port of Morrow." He gave Mercer and his new band members credit where credit was most certainly due. Fitzmaurice points out that The Shins's newest tunes combine all the best elements of every type of Rock music. Happy rock ballads like that of John Mellencamp, mixed with the electronic sprites of today's indie music movement. "Port of Morrow" is a light-rock hybrid, spotted with James Mercer emotional past, sure to make any indie music fan's heart warm.

Fitzmaurice also covers the most debated topic: Is this band even The Shins, or just James Mercer with a back up band. He states simply, "James Mercer is not a member of the Shins, he is the Shins." This is nothing but the truth. The Shins is Mercer's creation, and it is his outlet to let his creativity shine. It is his brainchild to control, to tweak, and to fix.

I have to agree with everything that Fitzmaurice says. "Port of Morrow" is surprisingly unique in its simplicity and freshness. It is not overwhelming or artistically saturated beyond recognition. It is classic James Mercer, and it will be a timeless record to listen to with the windows rolled down on a spring day

READ THE ARTICLE HERE: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16390-port-of-morrow/

The Industry is Dead. Or Is It?

You hear a lot of people talk about the slow demise of the recording industry, that digital music is killing CD sales, and that free music is destroying record labels. While this may be true, The record industry has been "dying," since day one. Even in the 20's at the height of record sales, the recording industry felt it was being threatened by the newly discovered radio. Yes the radio made music free to listen, but did it completely wipe out the industry? No. The recording industry got what it wanted a few lawsuits later. In 1999, the recording industry faced a big scare with the creation and diffusion of Napster, an online service that allows one to download and upload music for free. Yet again, a few lawsuits later the recording industry scared people into buying music again.

Today, many people still download music for free through illegal services, whether it be a file sharing service, or a torrent. But, is the industry really suffering, and do people really care? In Tim Worstall's article, "Did Napster, Torrents, File Sharing, Kill the Record Industry? Who Cares?," He answers just that.

The truth that Worstall points out is that the masses really have no concern for their effect on the recording industry. People want their music fast, easy, and cheap if not free. Consumers only care about what they're consuming and how they consume it. There is little regard for the producers of anything in any industry, but especially in media. What about the well being of business, their employers, their wages, or the value of the individual? Are loyal music lovers just inhumane, media junkies willing to trample over the recording industry?

Large music corporations have indeed struggled throughout history, but they always seem to come back despite the diminishing market for music. Worstall's article addresses a very valid issue. I agree that most mindless consumers care nothing about the producers of what they are consuming, but what about the other side? In the community of music lovers there are people out there willing to purchase music because they know they effect that each purchase can have. It is imperative to keep record labels and distributor companies afloat, and on top of that allow the local record stores to thrive in their communities. Worstall mentions Sony, and EMI, whom without the music industry would not be what it is today. However, the truth is that independent music lovers view these companies as corporate sell-outs only out for your money. Music lovers love the little guy. They love the small, personal record labels staying true to their roots. Worstall approaches this issue with a very business-like mindset. He writes as if it is the people's fault for the downfall of music. Even I know that in business the customer is never wrong.

My answer to this: Music needs to become more marketable. If the big companies want to survive they must meet the needs of their consumers, and use a more personal approach to how they market artists an labels.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/02/21/did-napster-torrents-file-sharing-kill-the-record-industry-who-cares/

Jack is Back

Jack White has returned to the music scene as a solo artist, and his new collection of songs is nothing short of stunning. White has led numerous bands, including The White Stripe, The Raconteurs, and most recently The Dead Weather. Every time an album comes out with Jack White's name on it, it is nothing short of stunning brilliance, and his solo effort is no different.
The new album, Blunderbuss, hits stores March. 20, but listeners have already gotten a taste with the release of the single, Love Interruption, and as of Saturday night, Jack's performance on Saturday Night Live.

For this very special blog entry, I will not be analyzing and critiquing an article as I usually do, rather I am going to critique Jack's performance and what has been heard of the new album as he returns to the music scene.

As an artisit, Jack White is about as creative as they come. He's talented, he's creative, and he's a little bit wacky. His performances and songs include all of these elements to make one interesting spectacle. The Saturday Night Live performance was no different. Jack put on his finest, old time country suit with oversized lapels and shiny shoulder and chest patches to pull it all together. He stood with a road-worn acoustic guitar like a troubador, backed by a fully female band. For his first song, he play the single, Love Interruption, and no matter how many times I've listened to it, it still amazes me. A dark picture of what love can be, and a poetically crafted vision, Love Interruption is an somber, yet angst driven anthem for the broken hearted and slightly sadistic. It's beautiful in its darkness.

For his second song, Jack played an unreleased track called Sixteen Saltines. This song goes back to his heavy, gritty rock 'n' roll roots, reminiscent of his days with The Raconteurs. But what was even more surprising than the excitement of a new Jack White song was the fact that he switched bands in between songs. He went from having a fully female band, to having a fully male band. An interesting switch, but then again it is Jack White, and whatever creative, weird thing he can do, he is going to do it. Sixteen Saltines was gritty and fast paced, and anyone who loves Jack White's former projects, will love this song.

I like the way Jack presented himself. First as a well dressed, singer-songwriter, with a fully female band, then as an angry rock star, clad in all black with a raucous male band behind him. To me it was a representation of who Jack White is as an artist. He is constantly between two musical worlds, one where he plays he beats on his guitar like he's in a backyard brawl, and the other where his instrument and his voice are his lady, soft and sweet and always by his side. These juxtaposed worlds are what make Jack White, Jack White and it's why he is so respected in modern music. He can play any kind of music, anywhere, anytime. He can take a garage sale guitar and make it howl like a vintage Gibson. Blunderbuss is sure to please any Jack White fan because of the exposure it gives into the mysterious world of Jack White.

http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/04/jack-white-snl-saturday-night-live/

Criminal Records

No one really knows if Vinyl sales are up or down. Of the hundreds of articles out there about the revival of record sales, half say the hype is true, the other half say record sales are as low as ever. I myself, believe the hype because I look at it comparitively. Are records selling more than CDs? No. Are Records selling more that digital mp3s? Of course not. But Vinyl is being bought more and more by music lovers of all ages. You have the adults who never got rid of their turntable and never stopped buying records, then you have the young 20 somethings seeing the value of purchasing hard copies of music and the beautiful sound quality of a record. So what's the answer? Is Vinyl up or down? My answer to this conundrum is simple yet complex: People like the idea of vinyl more than they actually like buying it. For diehard music lovers, music is all about the experience. You go to the local record store, you sift your fingers through the endless library, you find an exciting new piece,  and you buy it with money you saved. Feeling the grooves in your hands, placing the large disc on your turntable, and hearing the music make its way through the needle and to your speakers. There is nothing more satisfying. But, all the while the average music junkie goes to itunes to get there quick fix.

It is for this reason that stores like Criminal Records are suffering. In his article "Co-Founder of Record Store Day's Atlanta Store Expected to Close," Tyler Kane covers the upcoming demise of a beloved Atlanta music staple. The current owner of the store, Eric Levin, is a prominent member of the music community and is credited with starting Record Store Day, a nation wide event where independent record stores all across the country release new vinyl in a celebratory way. Levin does not cite a decrease in record sales for the collapse of Criminal Records, rather he says its just the Economy in general. All of the products he sells are expensive, and people just don't need records, comics, and action figures to survive. Despite the economic downturn, Criminal Records isn't going down without a fight. Many are starting campaigns to save the store, and many bands are stepping in to help.

This article is an important one to the Atlanta music scene. I myself am an Atlanta native and have visited Criminal Records numerous times. It pains me to know that Criminal Records is dying, but they are not yet dead. I love to see that artists and locals are fighting to save the in-debt business. Music is the lifeblood of many communities, and the people need to protect their independent retailers. Articles such as this are extremely important to raise awareness. It is easy for music lovers to forget about the little guy. Itunes is just a click away, and in a world where convenience rules, people aren't going to record stores. Vinyl is what musicians love, and they love to play small, intimate shows in stores like Criminal Records. If music lovers want to keep records alive, they must support local independent retailers.

I would have liked to see this article talk about why vinyl is appealing. If people are going to be made aware of failing record stores, they must also have a reason to save it. Vinyl is a pure form of audio, and is enriching to buy. It sounds better, it looks better, and it's a better value, truthfully. The average CD is abut 12 dollars compared to about 20 dollars for vinyl. However, when you buy Records you also receive a CD or a digital download code. Its a 2 for 1 deal, and a good investment. I would like to see articles urging people to save Vinyl and make the record comeback bigger than it already is.

For the Love of Old

In the article, Shabby Chic, Spin Magazine writer, Simon Reynolds takes a closer look at Lana Del Rey and her retro style, throwback music, and the comeback the past is making in 2012

I've been noticing a trend over the past year. Every time I am with my mom, and I see someone wearing the latest, trendy wardrobe, I'll say, "Hey, I like the way they're dressed." My mom replies with, "That's the kind of stuff I wore when I was growing up." Simply put, the past is cool, and the music, fashion, and art of today is without a doubt taking creativity from the 50's and 60's. I once heard someone say, there's no such thing as new knowledge. Every new idea is really just borrowed or inspired by someone or something else. Well, I believe there is no such thing as new music, or new fashion, or new art. It is all borrowed or inspired from past decades, and presented to wide-eyed, fresh faced hipsters seeking their next counter-cultural high.

Enter Lana Del Rey. The lastest and greatest pop star to hit the scene. Straight off of Youtube, Lana Del Rey is one of the most loved yet hated musical artists at this moment. Lana is the focus of Reynolds' article, using her as a prime example of the way artists today are simply drawing inspiration from the glory of their favorite past decade. Reynolds' eloquently explores the fact that artist are becoming more and more retro-esque. Reynolds explores the appeal behind a relapse to the golden age. The clothes were beautiful, the celebrities graceful, and the music was some of the best in history. Even mainstream artists like Adele are being compared to great singers like Etta James. Throughout his article, Reynolds provides quotes from Lana Del Rey explaining why she takes a step back into the past. Reynolds notes that the word "beautiful" pops up quite a bit in there conversation. She even changed her name from Lizzy Grant to Lana Del Rey. Why? She wanted a beautiful name to go along with beautiful music. Plus it was reminiscent of 60's movie stars and Hollywood (Or, maybe, it is a marketing ploy since "Lizzy Grant" didn't make the label much money). Nevertheless, Reynolds does a wonderful job of bringing to the attention of indie music lovers that the present is not their own. Musical Artists are all just drawing from influences of the past.

Though this piece wonderfully focused on the mystery that is Lana Del Rey, I wish it had been a bit more critical. I love the past. I love the music of the 50's, 60's, and 70's just as much as the next music lover, but it angers me to see so many young people go about life thinking they are so creative and original, when all they're really doing is wearing my mom's clothes from her childhood and making it "cool." To borrow from others is flattering, and to revive a lost art is noble, but originality is the highest form of artistry. I would like to see more artists being truly original, if that's even possible. I would like to see artists create something that is their own so that in 30 years bands say, "Let's recreate the sound of 2012." Most importantly, I would like to see heavy media influences promote the idea of originality, even if that means being critical.

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