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Everybody Hates Pathology, More Worst Album Covers, More Ticketmaster Defectors, Adam Lambert Pansy Fight, more
Hating Pathology
San Diego Music Encyclopedia & Database Online Now
Press illo to play the Overheard song!
NEW COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL MUSIC DATABASE IS LAUNCHED
IT'S DONE!!!! And growing every hour....
If you wanna see a list of over 1,800 San Diego bands, with links to full profiles, photos, discographies, articles, MP3s, etc, checkout http://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/search/
Believe it or not, you can click on ANY LOCAL MUSICIAN'S NAME (around 4,800 musicos listed!) and bring up bios of every notable band they've ever been in! Try it here with Rob Crow ---
AND, if that wasn't cool 'nuff, click on an instrument, say like this here link to "Drums" - BAM, a list of EVERY DRUMMER IN SAN DIEGO!!!
We've been working on this massively cross-linked Local Music Database for over two years now, covering a century of San Diego history --- if you're a local performer who wants to add or edit a page, go to http://www.sandiegoreader.com/band/edit/
More soon!!!! JAS
HERE'S THE NEW Overheard in San Diego
ARCHIVE OF Famous Former Neighbors
WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HATING ON PATHOLOGY???
If you're into bands like Cattle Decapitation, the Locust, Megadeth, Entombed, Disgorge, or Cannibal Corpse, you'd probably like Pathology. Loud, dirty, metal, morbid imagery - not bad, nor special, but certainly not a band worth getting upset or worked up over.
Even considering the new press release announcing they've signed to Victory Records, which is written with such cheez and oblivious cluelessness that it practically cries out to be mocked. Which is what's happening, especially at www.blabbermouth.net ---
First, the press release, in italics - annotated in NON-italics are some of the reaction comments from site visitors (who are really into their metal).
San Diego, California-based death metal/grindcore band Pathology has inked a deal with Victory Records. Commented the group: "We have been working tirelessly at writing new music and are ecstatic to be putting our next album out through Victory."
posted by : crazytaco_12: Victory records f-cking sucks
"We would like to thank Tony and the Pathology team for their diligent efforts in bringing Pathology and Victory together. Most of all, we would like to thank the fans who've been there from day one to support us every step of the way. We are very excited and can't wait to release our yet-untitled 2010 album!"
posted by : X-Box: pure crap. Victory Records staff and trend jumpers
Pathology recently announced the addition of singer Pascual Romero (STRANGLED BY STRANGULATION, IN THIS MOMENT) to the group's ranks. According to the band, "Pascual is best known for being the vocalist of underground death metal band STRANGLED BY STRANGULATION as well as his tenure as the bass player for Century Media band IN THIS MOMENT. He brings years of writing, recording, and touring experience to the plate and we are very enthusiastic for what the future holds for us. He brought the presence and power that the band needed to reach the next plateau of true blasphemous death metal."
posted by : brutalcali23: What an utter joke. The new singers presence and power compared to Matti Way is laughable...Hell compared to Levi he is a joke. I saw them play in riverside and the drums on the cd are obviously edited because he can not even double bass properly or even play close to the cd. And the vocals wow, he has no power or presence at all. And the line about them touring across the states to spread there gospel in front of thousands of fans. I can barely type iam laughing so hard.
The band toured across the states on some self-booked tours and spread their gospel of filth to thousands of fans. The guttural bowl shaking vocals of Romero combined with Tim Tiszczenko's chainsaw guitar and Astor's lightening-fast blastbeats and breakdowns make for an earth shattering experience of pure, vomit inducing metal."
posted by : sinewayve: Why is thei news peice so full of bullsh-t? They have never "toured across the states" like it says in there! They've cancelled 10 times more than they have actually completed.why are they signed again?
posted by : brutalcali23: They have done like 5 f-cking shows for 3 full length cds. So obviously victory has never even seen them live. Just more proof of how gay a label is that signs a band and never sees them play live before hand. One thing is for certain this band with all its claims, lies and terrible live performances will always provide a good laugh. F-CK OFF pathology you guys could be the poster boys for the word posers. And with all the lies and false claims you guys make, well lets just say karma can be a bitch.
Pathology's latest album, Age of Onset was released in May via Comatose Music. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.
posted by : Punisher of Weaklings: This band f-cking sucks!... This band is total bullsh-t! Victory sucks hard.
Pathology was formed in the beginning of 2006 by Dave Astor (Being Killed, the Locust, Cattle Decapitation). The band's debut album, Surgically Hacked was released in September 2006 on Amputated Vein Records (Japan). In July 2007, Pathology signed with Grindhead Records (Australia) to release the band's crushing malpractice, Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery (2008).
posted by : sinewayve: This sh-t is incredibly boring and has zero to do with the locust, in this momnet or even cattle decap! And didn't cattle decap kick out the guy because he didn't want to tour? Boring ass stuff and like 10 years too late haha sounds like 6 feet under trying to play broken hope and failing. Another waste of time and money for victory records.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=131889
Wow! I guess some people really get worked up over Pathology, and over Victory Records. They DO go thru members - just this year, secondary singer Mason Gregory left the band, as did lead singer Matti Way in September, coming after the previous defection of singer/guitarist Levi Fuselier.
I just played a couple of Pathology songs off Surgically Hacked - certainly better than at least half of Megadeth's recorded output. Or Anthrax's, for that matter, and those are supposedly among the biggest, most successful metal acts ever ---
I wonder what Pathology/Victory have done to p-ss so many people off, just at the mention of their names????
Related links
- Pathology Reader page
- www.myspace.com/pathologydm
Trummerflora Presents Other Ideas
Sunday December 13th 7:00 pm - $5-10 sliding scale
The Kava Gallery - 2804 Kettner Blvd.
Toni Pope (drone, singing bowls) w/ Sam Lopez (treated guitars)
Eli Pechman (noise, noise and more noise)
Toni Pope is an amazing vocalist. Her voice reaches right through to your soul and gives it a little squeeze. She will be performing a spiritual journey utilizing her voice and singing bowls. Sam Lopez (aka one man band Zsa Zsa Gabor) will accompany her on damaged guitars. Imagine the soundtrack to Alejandro Jodorowsky's Holy Mountain mixed with the first Black Sabbath album.
Eli Pechman likes his noise loud. He builds effect pedals made for space aliens. His passion is destroying eardrums. This will not be pretty!
BELLY UP AND VIEJAS DITCH TICKETMASTER FOR GOOD! And that goes for the Belly Up in Aspen CO, too!
Front Gate Tickets, a leading provider of ticketing solutions for music festivals, venues, artists, and the Performing Arts, today announced its continued expansion into the San Diego market through its exclusive ticketing deals with Belly Up Tavern and Viejas Entertainment.
“Belly Up is very excited to partner with Front Gate Tickets,” said Belly Up owner Steve Goldberg. “The move to Front Gate is a win for us and the customer and better reflective of our vibe as the non-corporate approach to entertainment.”
The Austin-based Front Gate Tickets first established a presence in
“We are excited about our relationship with the Belly Up Tavern and Viejas Entertainment,” says Jeff Kreinik, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Front Gate Tickets. “These are two of the premiere venues in the
Front Gate Tickets ( www.frontgatetickets.com ), based in Austin, TX, is one of the largest independently owned ticketing agencies, with clients including San Diego Street Scene (San Diego, CA), Belly Up Aspen (Aspen, CO), The Long Center for the Performing Arts (Austin, TX), Warehouse Live (Houston, TX), and Boulder Theatre (Boulder, CO).
The company is owned by Front Gate Solutions ( www.frontgatesolutions.com ), a software development company.
Tickets: http://bellyupsolanabeach.frontgatesolutions.com
http://viejas.frontgatetickets.com
ADAM LAMBERT AND THE PANSY FIGHT
In the wake of Adam Lambert’s man-on-man TV smooch (and the subsequent boost - then drop - in his album sales), it’s easy to forget that many of the same hometown voters who supported him on American Idol also voted against legalized gay marriage. Pansy Division frontman Jon Ginoli reminds that his own band was practically run out of town by 11,000 gay-hating San Diegans, when they opened a Halloween show for Green Day.
“Mobs of young guys right down front were flipping us off,” he says in his book Deflowered: My Life in Pansy Division, an account of touring with one of the first openly gay rock bands.
“We hammed it up right away. Chris [Freeman, bassist] was shaking his -ss, saying ‘We’re big f-gs from San Francisco!’ Pandemonium. There was way too much going on at one time to see it all from the stage...People were giving us the finger and throwing objects at us.” The band reportedly only sold $164 worth of merchandise that night.
Pansy Division has since made
Ginoli’s book kicks off with quotes like “We’re the buttf-ckers of rock-and-roll,” and “We want to sock it to your hole!”
Sounds like a Pansy/Lambert co-headlining tour is something both acts should be able to get, um, behind.
Related links
- Bonus Blog: Adam Lambert on the AMAs
- Straight Eye for the Gay Guy
- Adam Lambert Copying Rihanna?
You can checkout Lambert's local Star 94.1 interview from December 3rd by clicking this link to AJ in the Mornings. While in town, he donated his American Idol Kiss outfit and did some press - best coverage can be found at Hotel Chatter:
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| HotelChatter |
HotelChatter
... at the American Music Awards (come on, Madge made out with Britney and Xtina at the vmas), but the Hard Rock San Diego is showing the singer some love...
MORE NEW MUSIC STORIES
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Kiss My Baby with My Fist by Jay Allen Sanford
“About a year ago, I decided I wanted to form a country band,” says Tim Raldo, best known for his confrontational and scatological stage antics fronting the punk band the Filthy Fuks. The Ramblin’ Outlaws are ... |
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Anberlin by Arianna Nevins
I started listening to Anberlin in 2005, when they weren’t that big. I found them through my crush’s MySpace. Since I wanted him to think I was cool, I started listening to them all the time. Soon, though, I actually ... |
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"Adam" by Michael David Lewis by Rosa Jurjevics
There seem to be a lot of layers to this song. How many instrumental tracks did you record? There are three guitar tracks recorded: basic strummed rhythm, a finger-picked track, and a lead track. The strumming ... |
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Rock and Roll Survivor by Dave Good
“Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp decided that because it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” says Laura Roppé, “they should have a spot for a breast cancer survivor, so they contacted the Keep A Breast foundation ... |
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Tape Deck Mountain by William Crain
On their website, you can watch a video of Tape Deck Mountain playing a cover of Danzig’s “Mother” that’s both inappropriate and perfectly right. These ... |
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'Round the World by Jay Allen Sanford
The Ambassador is the stage name of singer-guitarist Stephen Gabriel Lewis. “I adopted the title because of the passion I have for travel abroad,” he says, “and because of something my mother used to say to ... |
FOLK LEGEND TOM RUSH COMING TO AMSD - New Studio Album is His First in 35 Years
Revered singer-songwriter Tom Rush, whose first studio CD in more than three decades What I Know was released earlier this year, will be performing at AMSDConcerts in San Diego on Friday, January 8.
After he started his career in the mid-Sixties as a folk/blues singer and guitarist based in Boston/Cambridge, Tom helped meld folk and rock with his 1965 album, Take a Little Walk with Me. His next album, 1968's The Circle Game, was singled out by Rolling Stone as the record that ushered in the singer-songwriter era, since it presented songs by Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor before they had released any albums themselves.
The album also featured what has become Tom's best known and most covered original song, "No Regrets," a hit for other artists in multiple genres; even U2 quotes a verse or two from the song in some of their live shows.
Tom's last trip to the recording studio was for his 1974 album Ladies Love Outlaws, but since then he's been touring steadily and releasing occasional live albums. His relaxed, expressive baritone, accomplished guitar-playing, droll humor and infallible taste in writing and choosing material have made him a perennial favorite among folk-oriented music lovers.
A live YouTube clip of Rush performing the hilarious "Remember Song" has drawn more than 3.5 million hits, so he's reaching a wider audience than ever.
What I Know is "a deceptively informal, warm and engaging collection of acoustic songs from a variety of sources, Rush's steady pulse at the center of every one," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Friday, January 8, 2010 - San Diego, CA - AMSDConcerts, located at 4650 Mansfield Street. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50 for dinner seating and $25 for reserved seating. For more information, call 619-303-8176 or visit the www.AMSDConcerts.com website.
WEILAND'S YARD SALE - "BUY MY OLD CLOTHES!"
Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots will offer the public a rare glimpse into his personal life next week as he auctions off a variety of clothing and personal affects to benefit his ArchAngel Organization. Weiland formed ArchAngel when his brother, Michael Weiland, passed away in early 2007 after a long struggle with addiction. Proceeds from the auction will be given to Michael Weiland's widow and two children.
According to Weiland: "The overall idea is to grow this into something more, while still helping my brother's family, and to also reach out and help families who are or have recently been through the same painful and seemingly hopeless situation. For now however, this is what we can and what we are able to do. Have fun with it and know that 100% of the profits are going to help my sister in-law and my nieces Sophie and Claudette."
Items being auctioned off include a guitar signed by Stone Temple Pilots, designer suits and denim, and clothes worn on stage, at awards shows, on tour and at various other public engagements. Other items include Scott's casual attire, clothes he wears around the house as well as some "crud" Scott had at his house or studio. Most items are signed by Scott Weiland. New items will also be added periodically. Auctions will last two weeks and all items will have inexpensive starting prices.
The ArchAngel auction site can be accessed through - http://www.SoftdriveRecords.com/archangel
Related links
Vinyl Records Are Gaining Sales
Sales of vinyl albums have been climbing steadily for several years, tromping on the notion that the rebound was just a fad. Through late November, more than 2.1 million vinyl records had been sold in 2009, an increase of more than 35% in a year, according to Nielsen Soundscan. That total, though it represents less than 1% of all album sales, including CDs and digital downloads, is the highest for vinyl records in any year since Nielsen began tracking them in 1991.
Click here for more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/nyregion/07vinyl.html?em
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| Prefixmag |
San Diego Filmmaker Plans Blink-182 Biopic, Ignores Universal Disinterest
Prefixmag
Daniel Flores, a San Diego-based filmmaker, says he plans to make a biopic on the early days of Blink-182. Apparently, Flores saw the skateboard film...
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| New York Magazine |
New York Magazine
So serious, in fact, that the San Diego native has written a movie about the band's early days, from its founding by Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and original ...
TODAY'S "WHAT THE F-CK" ALBUM COVER
Judging by how these horny trumpets have huge erections, something's gonna pop, all right...
I frankly don't know WHAT's inside this duo, but I think the guy on the right is shooting dope into his neck with a hypodermic needle!
"A new concept of music, created by sonic vibrations" - too bad the cover looks like a cartoon took a dump on it --- I AM kinda curious about that tune "Twilight Ozone," tho ----
Wow, whoever named this album could see its future!!!
And you thought rappers loved stupid-looking "bling" - how "sophisticated" could this funkmeister have been, if the best chastity belt he could come up with was two elbow patches and a cheap hotel lock?
"How'd you like a little taste of Devil's Food, baby?"
The Monkees really haven't aged well.
"Attention all angels - God has issued an All Points Bulletin for Chip Douglas from My Three Sons" --- what's with the dude about to shoot an unarmed man in the back?? "God HATES hippies, dammit"....
The true WTF here isn't the greasy suit or villainous 'stache - it's the tiny flagpoles with full-size flags that make him even more MONDO midget...
Played by "Mr. Bones and his Troupe" - uh, maybe he was actually dressed up as a wolfman???
Ahhhh, love at first fight.....
Not JUST a spy - a HIPPY spy! A SUPER hippy!!"Spy Guy with the Glass Eye"
Yep, that's one big dame! WTF is with the arrows sticking out of the safari hat?! Who's hunting who out there?
In low-fi, all you get is a slight buzz...note one guy is humping the coach, there's a dead lady behind the sofa, and the guy on the far left has his headphones HOOKED UP TO A GIRL'S ASS!
PREVIOUS WTFs - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/dec/10/wtf-album-covers---strange-bizarre-and-butt-clench/
CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET
Thursday 12/10 - The Happy Hour Acoustic Jam at Winston's continues to be the place to hang out after work for drink specials, nice peeps and great acoustic music. 5:00 open!, 5:30 Conner Cecil, 6:00 Three Degrees off Center, 7:00 The Big Winners - NO COVER!
Artist of the Week: Two Dollar Taco make their Listen Local debut this Wednesday night at 9:30 at STAGE located downtown at 5th and F. NO COVER!
Saturday December 12th at 2pm - Regina Leonard is throwing a party at Humphrey's to raise money for 2 crisis houses in San Diego. The show will feature her 9-piece band tons of great acts including Robin Henkel, Dave Humphries, Sara Petite, Chuck Schiele, Charlie Imes, and Cathryn Beeks and the Ordeal, plus raffle prizes and good times. $8 cover goes to help those who need it.
The Monthly Series Voices at Onyx Room happens Saturday Dec. 12th at 8pm and will feature pop rock band Dynamite Walls and hip-hop/rock fusion act After School Special. There will be video projection from Ben Norton, live painting from Billy Martinez, massages from Fielding, deejay spins from Cris Herrera, and lots more. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. Attendees will also have complete access to Onyx’s upstairs dance party at Thin.
Thursday December 17th - Katie and I are turning the Winston's Happy Hour show into a "Music Lovers to the Rescue!" event where we'll collect canned goods and donations for The San Diego Rescue Mission. Join us for great music, drinks specials, raffles and other surprises. 5pm to 8pm, no cover but anything you can donate goes to the Mission.
The Acoustic Alliance goes down on Sunday December 20th at 6pm at Brick by Brick and will feature a dozen amazing songwriters, plus intermission entertainment by Scott Wilson's band. This is a quiet, candle lit show and your opportunity to hear 12 artists perform their best 3 songs in the round. 21+ $8 admission, Acoustic Alliance Alumni get in free. The first 4 people who arrive at Winston's this Thursday for Happy Hour get a free ticket... no pushing! See who's playing!
Local music makes a great gift! Visit your favorite artist's websites this month and order their CDs for your family and friends. Want to support Listen Local? Purchase a gift basket containing a copy of The ListenLocalsd.com Cookbook Vol. 1, Mood Swing, Desert Music, plus a few surprises all for only $35.00 including shipping.
A few CD Release dates to mark in your calendar: Steph Johnson at Swedenborg Hall on January 2nd and Astra Kelly at The Beauty Bar on January 23rd
One of San Diego's (if not THE) best horn players, Chris Klich, wants to let folks know that his December schedule has a few holes in it and he's available for gigs. Contact Chris at [email protected] http://www.chrisklich.com (619) 462-8048, (619) 504-8940 cell, Adjunct Professor of Music, Grossmont College
Are you listening? Join me every Saturday night at 9pm for the Homegrown Show on 102.1 KPRIfm. Send me your music!
YELLOW SUBMARINE CAR COMING TO SAN DIEGO DECEMBER 13TH THRU 19TH
"I'm attending a weeklong seminar at the downtown Hyatt," emails Yellow Submarine car owner Gary Coover, "and I'm driving the YS from Fayetteville, AR, especially since there is an art car event in Albuquerque the weekend before. It's been all over the U.S., but not yet to California."
"I'll be in San Diego from Dec 13 through19, and then afterwards to L.A., Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, and various points in between."
Here's a couple more photos - that's Louise Harrison (George's sister) giving the car an official thumbs up!
TONY HAWK'S RIDE MUSIC
Antimusic.com reports: Check out the track list for the Tony Hawk: RIDE video game, which has just hit North American retail shelves. The game, which has a long standing tradition of groundbreaking soundtracks, features more than 50 eclectic tracks.
Ranging from popular anthems from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT and Green Day to new rising artists Band of Skulls and The Temper Trap, the game also weaves through the grooves of The Commodores and The Meters into the high energy of The Stooges and The Replacements in a diverse yet seamless collection of upbeat tunes.
Tony Hawk: RIDE takes the popular action sports franchise in a new direction. The game features a groundbreaking wireless skateboard controller that was designed in conjunction with the game. Using a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors, the intuitive controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. Without complex button combinations or analog sticks, gamers of various skill levels can literally step on the board and play. - full tracklisting
Secret History of Chicago Music: Chuck and Mary Perrin (Dizzy's)
Shipping in Autumn 2010 from Bluewater Productions
ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS - The Led Zeppelin Experience:
The Led Zeppelin saga is one of the wildest in rock history, and this graphic novel pulls no punches in dramatizing the backstage, behind-the-scenes story. From their early days as the New Yardbirds on through their rise to superstardom (and controversy), all five issues of the original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics series are collected in one rockin’ volume, with art by Scott Pentzer (Razor), Marshall Ross (Deepest Dimension), David Neer (Sports Superstars), Francois Escalmel (Frank Zappa: Viva La Bizarre), and others. The collection also includes update material, bringing the saga up to 2010.
UNSILENT NIGHT - DECEMBER 19TH
New York composer Phil Kline created Unsilent Night as an electronic music caroling party, and for the past 17 years it has been an annual event in downtown Manhattan, making it a new music holiday classic. Now in its 8th year, it will be performed in the streets of San Diego in downtown's Gaslamp Quarter.
Unsilent Night is an audience participation work, an outdoor ambient music piece for an INFINITE number of boom box players. It's like a Christmas caroling party except that we don't sing, but rather carry boom boxes, each playing a separate tape or cd which is part of the piece.
In effect, we become a city block long stereo system! Performances in New York have been using hundreds of participants. The more people that are involved, the more joyous a sound we can create.
The performance will be on Saturday, December 19th. We will meet at the Gaslamp Trolley Station at 5th and Harbor at 6:40pm, and starting at 7:00pm walk through the streets of San Diego's Gaslamp up to Horton Plaza. The whole walk takes about 40 minutes.
The more people that are involved the more beautiful and festive it will be! Phil Kline's ambient soundscape becomes more magical and unpredictable with more tapes being played, filling the air and seeming to come from all directions at once.
All you need to join in the sound is a portable tape, CD or mp3 player with fresh batteries, and we will provide you with a copy of the music. Just send us an email so we can know how many copies to bring. If you don't have a boom box you are still welcome to join the procession and just enjoy the music. Unsilent Night is also kid-friendly, so bring the whole family!
If you would like to take part in Unsilent Night on December 19th contact Ellen Weller at 619-263-8002 or [email protected] and please let us know how many of you would like to participate, and what kind of media player you are bringing. Parking is very limited so we suggest you take the bus or trolley.
Related links
- www.unsilentnight.com
- www.myspace.com/unsilentnight
- www.trummerflora.com/
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| New York Times |
Pulsing With Eclec-tricity in San Diego
New York Times
A diverse mix of businesses has put a lot of the zip back in the North Park area of San Diego. By JAMIE BRISICK FOR years, 30th Street at University Avenue ...
ASTRA KELLY TOUR DIARY
December 6, 2009: Well, we're midway thru our tour and having a blast. So far, only 2 run ins with the police, one lost piece of gear, and 1 RV accident (actually we were just sitting still and some woman in a mini van hit us).
We've seen some old friends, made a ton of new friends, danced to some great bands, are 3/4 of the way thru our case of 2 buck chuck, haven't even made a dent in the Tequila yet (the Jameson is another story), the cupboards are still full and the despite the freeze of the north, we are staying warm and toasty.
We drove 11 hours yesterday to get
Thanx to all of you who have come out to the shows and maybe even let us shower at your place.
We are uploading photos daily to my Facebook page and you can visit our blog here, www.astrakelly.blogspot.com
MASQUERADE: NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION OF CULTURE IN NORTH PARK
Birch North Park Theatre & West Coast Tavern to host exhilarating bash featuring performances from Delta Spirit, Get Back Loretta, The Burning of Rome, Caburlesque Kittens, and more
Co-producers West Coast Club Life and Jon Block will bring Masquerade: New Year’s Eve Celebration to adjoining venues Birch North Park Theatre and West Coast Tavern on December 31, 2009, bringing an enormous array of music, fashion, and culture to a town that’s emerged as the arts capital of San Diego.
Masquerade will feature six unique performances including Delta Spirit, hometown heroes who've played top music festivals Lollapalooza and Street Scene; three-time San Diego Music Award winners Get Back Loretta; the always unpredictable The Burning of Rome; the Billie Holiday-influenced The Hot Moon; and 12-woman burlesque troupe Caburlesque Kittens. Attendees will also experience five deejays including DJ TheoryJean, DJ Dennis J, and DJ Kray-Z-K as well as models, video projections, and art sculptures, all driven by the masquerade theme.
“We’re working very hard to create an event different from the traditional club-style of San Diego NYE partying,” said co-producer Jon Block. “The Verant Group have been wonderful venue owners and collaborators to this end, allowing us free reign to book our favorite artists and make this into something classy but with also just the right amount of craziness.”
Birch North Park Theatre has become a particularly hot commodity in 2009, hosting shows from San Diego music godfather Tim Mays as well as Southern Comfort with their breathtaking Ghostland Observatory concert this past August.
Doors to Masquerade: New Year’s Eve Celebration will open at 7:00 pm and the event will run until 2:00 am. Attendees must be at least 21 years old; alcohol will be permitted in all areas. The first 200 attendees will receive a stylized mask and Yelp bag. Tickets can be purchased at www.westcoastclublife.com
WHAT I'M WATCHING
WONDERWALL (1968) – “LOST” PSYCHEDELIC CLASSIC WITH MUSIC BY GEORGE HARRISON, RINGO STAR, PETER TORK, ERIC CLAPTON, AND MORE
Tonight, I watched the epically wonky 1968 Wonderwall movie DVD, with music by George Harrison and psychedelic visual design by The Fool, that group of acidhead techno artists who painted the Apple office building in the '60s and had much to do with the latterday Beatles imagery (I wonder if Magic Alex ever perfected his magic box?).
The movie is so freakish, it's almost impossible to absorb - as an artifact of the 60s and hippiedom, and an example of some of the first Beatles "solo" music, it was well worth watching, and probably worth the high price that the limited edition U.S. region DVD sells for (I got a "bargain" on eBay at $30 - I've seen it sell for $75 and up).
It's hardly a "movie," at least by the normal definition. Worth noting is that the director is the same guy who later did the fantasy sequences in the Led Zep concert movie The Song Remains the Same. If you liked that movie's werewolves with tommy guns spurting psychedelic blood, you'd dig Wonderwall.
The first thing that comes to mind, a few minutes after finishing the film, is "This must be what it's like to do peyote, throw up, and then spend two hours staring at your vomit and marveling at how wondrous and beautiful your former lunch now looks...."
The music is by George Harrison, whose Wonderwall solo album has some but not all of the music heard in the movie (it was the first Beatles solo album, AND the first Apple album). For the rock songs, Harrison hired Liverpool band the Remo Four, as well as bringing in Ringo Star, Eric Clapton, and Peter Tork (playing one of Paul McCartney’s banjos).
The Indian sitar music heard in the film was recorded in January 1968, during the same Beatles sessions - and using the same musicians – that resulted in the Beatles’ song “The Inner Light,” originally issued as the B-side of "Lady Madonna."
Wonderwall the movie was only shown a few times in the late ‘60s, and was considered a “lost” film until a good print was found and restored, along with an unreleased Harrison song intended for the original 1968 soundtrack, “In The First Place,” one of the only Wonderwall songs with lyrics (proceeds from a single of the song helped pay for cancer treatments for one of the musicians from the Remo Four).
As near as I can figure it, here’s what the movie is about:
An aging nutty professor and OCD paper hoarder finds a peephole in his cluttered apartment that glows like starlight (set within a wall mural painting of a crowned goddess in the sky) -
When he looks thru the hole, he sees an otherworldly beautiful oft-nekkid young woman named Penny Lane (played by lovely blank-faced cipher Jane Birkin, who was equally blank in Antonioni's equally obtuse movie Blow-Up).
One one side of the wall, the Old Prof's side, it’s just another day, the barber shaves another customer, the banker looking in --- He peeps most often at an ongoing idyllic Dionysian hippie party jam, with flute-playing flower children and beautiful dancing gypsies (with almost EVERYone smoking something, either ciggies or ??). The smoking in various other wonderworlds ranges from small glass pipes to Chong-sized roaches and giant octopus hookahs – The Old Prof becomes so obsessed that, for awhile, he seems to stop shaving or sleeping or doing anything else aside from peeping. Sorta presaging the advent of 500-channel TV feeds, it could be said --- So as the Old Prof is peeping at the dreamy hippie otherworlds, he starts dressing up in what an unschooled old man might approximate as "psychedelic" circa 1968, ie a pointy New Year's party hat, or a funky outsized tuxedo, and decorating his apartment - especially the "wonderwall" itself - with streamers and party favors. When he strays too far from the wall - like when he goes to work at the lab one day, if only to study up on alternate realities and gaze lovingly at Penny Lane thru his microscope (?!)- he suddenly becomes black and white. As does the world around him. Only the wonderwall can color his world.... At some point, one of the wonderwall visions appears to actually be the adjoining room of a young hippie couple - or is it? Everything on the Other Side is just a colorful and halucinogenic as his other visions. However, when he gets to Her World, the hippie girl's psychedelic-flavored life isn't idyllic as it seemed. She is unmarried and has just discovered she's pregnant, and her hippie boyfriend is being a big hippie dick about it. So - while the Old Prof hides in her psychedelic closet - the hippie girl (real or fantasy?) chokes down a bunch of pills, cries, and is carried out on a stretcher. Flash to a newspaper headline: "Scientist Saves Fashion Model - Top Hat Riddle in The next time he sees WTF? The DVD also includes footage cut to Eric Clapton’s playing, stills of artwork by the various Fool’s who designed the psychedelia, footage cut to a Remo Four track, and other ephemeral perks. So, in summation – glad I watched it. Glad it was restored, especially the sonically engaging soundtrack, and glad it came out on DVD. Also glad the hippies – and I’ll probably never have occasion to spin this inexplicable tripfest again, unless under the influence of the Old Prof’s suspect sugercubes, but I’m glad I finally got to checkout this funky flashback, 40 years after it first came and went ------ (Wonderwall in Wikipedia - animated gifs courtesy the fantastic blog of Martin Klasch )
On the OTHER side of the peephole, it's the 24-hour freakout channel, with freakout music kicking in every time the old man peeps at the fetishistic nylon leg shows and Hefner-fueled/acid-soaked visions of a Wild and Wonky World According To Playboy. Within Without You.
Opening more peepholes seems to open more worlds – or are these just the Old Prof’s daydreams? In one trippy vision, the old Prof improbably sees himself, outdoors, battling a teenage Superman with "weapons" like giant ciggies and lipstick tubes. Or at an effeminate cowboy riding a plastic rocking horse and talking on the phone, or a hippie mermaid chick floating on a sea of polyester fabric while brushing her hair, or a Perplexing Planet of Preposterous Sunglasses.
Amusingly, the Old Prof himself, in his world, is proudly a non-smoker --- tho one wonders about how lab-customized his beloved sugar cubes may be, given his increasingly bizarre visions thru the Wonderwall.
When he realizes he's fallen in love with the young girl - or at least with her magical hippie wonderland - he manages to find a magic (Alex) doorway and dramatically leap into her world, apparently by dressing as a top-hat magician and fondling his magic wand (don't ask....) – 
NEW DAY MILE LAND A SONG IN GAMER MOVIE SOUNDTRACK
2009 San Diego Music Award Nominees New Day Mile will appear on the Gamer movie DVD scheduled for release next year on January 19th.
The story of Gamer is based around Kable (Gerard Butler) who was taken from his family, imprisoned, and forced to fight against his will in a first-person shooter game called “Slayers.” Kable becomes a hero as a modern-day gladiator fighting to victory led by the teenaged gamer (Logan Lerman) who controls him.
Kable’s wife (Amber Valletta) has her own problems while trapped in another game called “Society.” Slayers was created by an egomaniacal billionaire (Michael C. Hall) who enables audiences to execute violent fantasies in front of a global audience using mind-controlled real prisoners as avatars. A rebel group called “Humanz” sees the games as a threat to humanity.
The song “Between The Guns” from New Day Mile’s sophomore release Damn Strate will appear on the DVD. Damn Strate was recorded at Stratesound Studios in Santee, CA with acclaimed Engineer Alan Sanderson notable for his work with Elvis Costello and The Rolling Stones.
“Between The Guns” can be streamed at www.myspace.com/newdaymile or downloaded for free at www.newdaymile.com
According to this prog rock trio, "The name New Day Mile is derived from a song lyric, and it symbolizes new chances and opportunities for everyday we're alive."
Born and raised in New Jersey, James Brady took guitar lessons from local guitar virtuoso Dave DiPietro. DiPietro's student roster included Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) and Dave "The Snake" Sabo (Skid Row). Brady's other San Diego bands have included Juiced and Crown 10.
Frank Dolan, a native of Ireland, has worked with Larry Mitchell, Fiction, and Fighting Iris. He co-wrote the Rhythm Knowledge drum instruction series with Berklee instructor and Pearl/Zildjian clinician Mike Mangini.
Bassist Jason Sikora joined in 2007, replaced two years later by Dave Garcia.
Related links
- Blurt: "Cyber Skullduggery" (May 20, 2009)
- Blurt: "Strange Stage Moments"
San Diegans on Saturday Night Live?
(By Bart Mendoza) Ever wonder what San Diego-related music artists have appeared to date on Saturday Night Live ?? Here ya go, with artist / host:
02/21/76 Desi Arnaz
12/11/76 Frank Zappa / Candice Bergen
04/09/77 Tom Waits / Julian Bond
03/11/78 Stephen Bishop / Art Garfunkel
10/11/78 Frank Zappa
04/11/92
11/20/93 Stone
04/16/94
05/10/97 Jewel / John Goodman
11/14/98 Jewel / Joan Allen
01/08/00 Blink 182 / Jamie Foxx
04/20/02 POD / Alec Baldwin
04/15/02
10/04/08 The Killers (w/ Ray Suen) / Anne Hathaway
01/31/09 Jason Mraz / Steve Martin
DINOSAUR JR. REVIEWS SAN DIEGO AND THE BELLY UP - Lou Barlow's Tour Diary 11-4-09
Solana Beach, CA 11/4
Solana Beach is just north of San Diego. Our day begins in San Diego at a radio station. Dinosaur Jr is meant to do an acoustic session. So Tim and Noel have schlepped one of my bass amps and one of J’s to the tiny broadcast booth.
We are greeted by the DJ, who immediately and forcefully entices us with offers of free strings and guitar pedals. As he is mentioning all of the amazing free things he gets, I realize that I will be getting none of it. Do I ask for his number and then pester him over the next few weeks for his friend at insert-company-name’s number? Do I have “my people” contact him? I have no idea.
As confusing as that is, the performance and interview go well. The DJ is a pro. The best part, however, is J’s resistance:
DJ: Would you like to do another song?
J: Of course not.
Something about San Diego and its skate culture seems driven by a devotion to promotion. I find it bewildering. As the skate guys get older their long shorts, XL logo tees and baseball caps make them look like gigantic 7-year-olds.
As plugged in to that scene as Dino Jr are, I am alienated by it. Every time I sign a skateboard, I feel like a fraud.
Our friend O, photographer/musician, greets us at the radio station. I don’t know how he does it, but he is there wherever and whenever we roll into town. There may be two or three identical O’s in San Diego He is the most mysterious, down-to-earth person I have ever met. He seems to have superpowers, a knowledge of all amplifiers, recording gear and food. It’s always great to see him.
Off to the club, a fancy place, usually host to international blues acts and non-punk
fare. It’s the sister club to the Belly Up in Aspen. Aspen: the rich person’s playground. There is definitely an aspect of that here: seating on the sides, lots of wood. I guess we’ve moved up from the Casbah (the cozy punk-rock bar that has hosted 95% of my visits to S.D.). I’m ambivalent about that, but equally happy to have a new neighborhood to explore. There’s an antique mall across the street. I buy a vintage Preskool Little People school bus for $26. I want my kids to have the Little People experience. I buy Noel (our long suffering sound engineer) a Bruce Springsteen 7" (the Boss has been a theme on this tour). He’s been doing sound for Dino AND my band for a month.
Everyone’s got it easy compared to Noel: under fire every night, 36 speakers shooting knives, the audience screaming at him, "More vocals!: It’s a damn shame what we put that man through. He seems pleased when I hand him the single. There’s a version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town’” on the b-side.
The show goes smoothly. I’m happy to say that I am not nervous about playing L.A. tomorrow. The oft-dreaded hometown gig. Plus, Tom’s girlfriend is driving us home tonight. I’ll be back in my house by 3 a.m.!
(From Lou Barlow and Dinosaur Jr. Tour Diary - Tempe/Solana Beach - 11/3-4/09 - Paste Magazine )
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Mo 11/30: Tom Hanks, Weezer, a Top 10 list presented by Chad Ochocinco (R 10/29/09) Mo 11/30: Bill Maher, Adam Carolla THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Mo 11/30: William Shatner, AnnaLynne McCord, a performance by the cast of "Mary Poppins" Mo 11/30: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Death Cab for Cutie (R 11/20/09) LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON, CBS Mo 11/30: Michael Sheen LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON, NBC Mo 11/30: Artie Lange, Olivia Munn, David Chang (R 10/27/09) LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY, NBC Mo 11/30: Joss Stone, Bat For Lashes (R 10/8/09) Mo 11/30: Viggo Mortensen THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central Mo 11/30: Maziar Bahari THE COLBERT REPORT, Comedy Central Mo 11/30: Dan Esty, Cevin Soling Mo 11/30: Kathy Griffin, Jo Koy, Jen Kirkman, Josh Wolf Mo 11/30: Joanna Krupa, Katey Sagal, David Guetta featuring Akon Mo 11/30: Deepak Chopra LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY, syndicated Mo 11/30: Matt Dillon, Ashley Greene, Miranda Cosgrove, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, syndicated Mo 11/30: Vince Vaughn, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson (R 10/12/09) THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW, syndicated Mo 11/30: Kris Allen, Adam Carolla, Michael Sheen
Tu 12/1: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Guy Fieri, Carrie Underwood, a Top 10 list presented by NYC marathon winner Meb Keflezighi (R 11/2/09)
We 12/2: Kid Scientists, Amanda Peet, the Cribs (R 11/12/09)
Th 12/3: Tina Fey, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, Mika (R 10/14/09)
Fr 12/4: Al Gore, Brad Paisley, a Top 10 list presented by Michael Buble (R 11/3/09)
Mo 12/7: Ray Romano, Anna Kendrick
Tu 12/8: Barbara Walters, Blakroc
We 12/9: Rachel Weisz, pet massage expert Maryjean Ballner, Rob Thomas
Th 12/10: Kate Hudson, Dr. James Hansen, Tori Amos
Fr 12/11: Kyra Sedgwick, Brian Scott McFadden, Joe Perry
Mo 12/14: Hugh Grant, Zoe Saldana, Alicia Keys
Tu 12/1: Pre-empted
We 12/2: Dane Cook, Kim Kardashian
Th 12/3: Morgan Freeman, Maxwell
Fr 12/4: Kelsey Grammer, Taylor Swift
Tu 12/1: Tobey Maguire, Chris Colfer, Rickie Lee Jones
We 12/2: Jenny McCarthy, Gabriel Iglesias
Th 12/3: Rachel McAdams, Billy Connolly, Rod Stewart
Fr 12/4: TBA
Mo 12/7: Howie Mandel, Michael McDonald
Tu 12/8: Josh Brolin, Chad Daniels
We 12/9: Snoop Dogg, Carl Reiner
Th 12/10: The winner of "Top Chef", 30 Seconds To Mars
Fr 12/11: Zach Braff, Bear Grylls, Tony Bennett
Tu 12/1: Magic Johnson, Kellan Lutz
We 12/2: Matt Dillon, Nikki Reed, Baby featuring Jay Sean
Th 12/3: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashley Greene, Honor Society
Fr 12/4: Don Rickles, Anika Noni Rose, Band of Skulls
Mo 12/7: Rerun TBA
Tu 12/8: Pee-wee Herman, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito & Marlon Jackson, Passion Pit
We 12/9: William Shatner, Michael Strahan, animal trainer Kristin McMillan
Th 12/10: TBA
Fr 12/11: Ray Romano, Kim Kardashian, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Tu 12/1: Joel McHale, the Swell Season
We 12/2: Paul Shaffer, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Th 12/3: George Lopez
Fr 12/4: Emily Blunt
Mo 12/7: Wayne Newton, Shirley Manson
Tu 12/8: Michael Clarke Duncan, Gillian Jacobs
We 12/9: Morgan Freeman, Overtone
Th 12/10: Howie Mandel, Paula Marshall
Fr 12/11: Jim Parsons, They Might Be Giants
Tu 12/1: Kristen Stewart, Jamie Kennedy, the Avett Brothers (R 11/18/09)
We 12/2: Taylor Lautner, Katey Sagal, Obits (R 11/19/09)
Th 12/3: Robin Williams, Rashida Jones (R 11/26/09)
Fr 12/4: January Jones, Troy Polamalu, Jeff Musial and animals, Wale (R 11/10/09)
Tu 12/1: Glenn Howerton, Chad Hedrick, Cold War Kids (R 10/9/09)
We 12/2: Chris Kattan, Nuttin But Stringz, Lily Allen (R 10/13/09)
Th 12/3: Charlie Hunnam, Erin Hamlin, Phoenix (R 10/14/09)
Fr 12/4: Mike Rowe, Alissa Geving, Keane (R 10/15/09)
Mo 12/7: Jared Leto, Debbie McCormick, Quinn Dahle (R 11/11/09)
Tu 12/8: David Duchovny
We 12/9: Olivia Munn
Tu 12/1: Ali Eteraz, Angie Stone
We 12/2: Amy Goodman, Jason Schwartzman
Th 12/3: Malcolm Gladwell, Robin D.G. Kelley
Fr 12/4: Dr. Ruth Simmons
Tu 12/1: Thomas Friedman
We 12/2: Lance Armstrong
Th 12/3: Michael Specter
Tu 12/1: Guy Consolmagno, Sherman Alexie
We 12/2: Craig Watkins
Th 12/3: Sec. Janet Napolitano
Tu 12/1: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bill Gardell, Heather McDonald, Chris Hardwick
We 12/2: Jenny McCarthy, John Caparulo, Dan Levy, Natasha Leggero
Th 12/3: Ross Mathews, Chris Franjola, Christina Pazsitzky
Fr 12/4: Ryan Kwanten, Guy Branum, Sarah Colonna, Wil Anderson (R 11/24/09)
Tu 12/1: Jessica Alba, Columbus Short, the Bravery
We 12/2: Taye Diggs, Kaley Cuoco
Th 12/3: Laurence Fishburne, Los Lobos
Mo 12/7: Kathy Griffin, Rico Rodriguez
Tu 12/8: Clint Eastwood, Jane Lynch
We 12/9: Morrissey
Th 12/10: Hilary Duff, Scott Bakula
Tu 12/1: Rod Stewart, Steven Seagal
We 12/2: Kristin Chenoweth, Perez Hilton, Andrea Bocelli & David Foster
Th 12/3: Queen Latifah, Mike Huckabee
Fr 12/4: Portia de Rossi, Emily VanCamp
Mo 12/7: Kyra Sedgwick, Dr. Mehmet Oz
Tu 12/8: Jenny McCarthy, Rita Wilson, Boys Like Girls
We 12/9: Julianne Moore, Aretha Franklin
Th 12/10: Anika Noni Rose
Tu 12/1: Cheryl Hines, guest co-host Howie Mandel
We 12/2: Morgan Freeman, Lance Armstrong, guest co-host Michael Buble
Th 12/3: Meg Ryan, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito & Marlon Jackson, guest co-host Anderson Cooper
Fr 12/4: Kate Beckinsale, Sting, guest co-host Christian Slater
Mo 12/7: Ray Romano, John Lithgow
Tu 12/8: guest co-host Bryant Gumbel, Terrence Howard, Julianne Hough
We 12/9: Catherine Zeta Jones, the winner of "The Biggest Loser", guest co-host Jeff Probst
Th 12/10: Mariah Carey, Billy Ray Cyrus, guest co-host Jeff Probst
Fr 12/11: Kate Hudson, guest co-host Jeff Probst
Tu 12/1: Adam Lambert, Marisa Miller
We 12/2: Matt Dillon, Ashley Greene
Th 12/3: Tobey Maguire, a performance from Cirque du Soleil's "Kooza"
Fr 12/4: Zach Braff, Allison Iraheta
Mo 12/7: Minnie Driver, Rihanna
Tu 12/8: Clint Eastwood, Overtone
We 12/9: Howie Mandel
Th 12/10: Steve Harvey, Mindy Kaling
Fr 12/11: Selena Gomez & the Scene
Tu 12/1: Sea Wolf
We 12/2: Jimmie Johnson, Kellan Lutz, Anya Marina
Th 12/3: Seth Green, Nikki Reed
Fr 12/4: Ashley Greene, David Zinczenko, Jay Sean
NEW MUSIC NIGHT - JUMP & JIVE
The "Burrito Brothers" are Action Andy (Haunted Honky Tonkers, Sleepwalkers), along with Victor Penalosa (the Zeros, the Fuzztones, the Records, the Melanies). Penalosa is currently recording a new album with Mike Kamoo...
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Here are some articles local music and technology fans might be interested in - click any title link for more:
Is Facebook Getting Uncool for 18-24s?
According to comScore, as it has gained a broader audience, the older teens and twentysomethings that drove Facebook's initial popularity are using it less. And research by WPP Group's Mindshare suggests that group is reevaluating the site's worth as a tool for developing friendships.
Herd It's New Take on Music Apps - Online music apps are all over the place these days. It seems like Facebook has a zillion of 'em. But Herd It, a new casual music game/music discovery tool developed by a team of students at the University of California, San Diego, is unique
The Night Marchers -- Review of the Night Marchers at the Fillmore: To begin the review, I'll say I truly despised the first act of the night, the Night Marchers. Their 3 chord/1 riff "rock and roll" was lame and truly fell short in light of the show's overall expectations. The best way I can describe it: Everyone has that one uncle, right? The middle-aged guy who listened to too many Beach Boys records when he was 20...
Study On Online Music Piracy And Purchasing Habits
There has been high-profile debate in the media about whether file-sharing has a positive or negative impact on music sales. The study below, which is original text from Jupiter Research, analyses in more detail the different spend of file-sharers, digital and physical music purchasers.
Despite Economic Woes, Consumers Not Scrimping On Entertainment Subscriptions
According to the latest update to the “Entertainment Trends in America” consumer tracking studies conducted by The NPD Group, even as newspapers and other traditional forms of subscriptions have declined, most forms of entertainment-content subscriptions have been maintained by U.S. consumers this year, and mobile data plans and other newer kinds of subscription services have expanded their customer bases. Overall monthly per-capita entertainment-content subscription spending rose to $115, which is an increase of nearly 7% since last year.
E-Readers Will Take Off For Holiday Shoppers In 2010
2009 is likely to be remembered as a watershed year in the evolution of e-books and e-readers with several milestones and product launches standing out as catalysts for change in the market, according to Gartner, Inc. However, Gartner said that while the number of electronic readers sold is likely to increase in 2009, it expects 2010 to be the year when e-book readers really become popular consumer electronic devices, culminating in e-reader “mania” for the 2010 holiday season.
Like, Totally Wired
According to findings from Alloy Media + Marketing's 9th annual College Explorer Survey, projected annual technology spending among college students (ages 18-30) has reached an all time high at $6.5 billion, ranking 3rd in overall discretionary spending for college students, just below food and auto.
Monetizing Mobile Content
The long debate over how to monetize digital content has gained new life in the economic downturn due to the slumping ad market. The question of paid models versus ad support is particularly urgent in the fast-emerging mobile space. eMarketer predicts that by 2013, nearly 50% of mobile phone users will access the mobile Internet at least monthly.
In Tough Times, 10 Ways Retailers Can Bring Holiday Cheer
While beleaguered shoppers will be looking for ways to make the season bright, retailers can do their part by bringing some much needed holiday cheer to the shopping experience.
"Friending" Brands Egocentric, Finds Razorfish
Have social marketers been kidding themselves that consumers “friend” brands on social media because they are passionate and want deep and meaningful relationships? Recent data suggests that perhaps all consumers really want from brands on social media is a good deal and great customer service.
Coupon Use Continues Resurgence
Consumers have re-embraced coupons as a way to get more for their money. In the third quarter, year-to-date coupon redemption was up 26% to 2.4 billion redemptions, making it the fourth consecutive quarter of growth, according to new research from Inmar in collaboration with The Nielsen Company.
Illegal File-Sharing Has An Overwhelmingly Negative Impact On Music Sales
Demos, the UK political think-tank, has released a widely-reported survey on music downloading which may be misinterpreted as suggesting that illegal file-sharing stimulates rather than reduces legitimate music sales.
Playing Games With Media Usage
It's no secret that time spent online is a major rival to traditional media usage. But among some segments of the population, at least, time spent gaming is in the same ballpark as time watching TV or surfing the Web.
Touchscreen Mobile Phone Adoption Grows At Blistering Pace In U.S. During Past Year
comScore, Inc. recently released a study of touchscreen mobile phone adoption in the U.S., which showed a significant 159% growth rate during the past year to 23.8 million users in August 2009. The growth in touchscreen device adoption substantially outpaced the already strong 63% growth in U.S. adoption of smartphones.
When It Comes to Entertainment Options, U.S. Consumers Turning To Social Networking, Texting, And Twitter
According to the latest update to the “Entertainment Trends in America” tracking study conducted by The NPD Group, many consumers expect to be spending the same amount on traditional entertainment categories during the coming holiday season, even as their participation in newer forms of entertainment continues to rise.
Web To Drive Holiday Retail Sales
Retail sales will probably be flat this holiday season, but online sales are expected to reach $44.7 billion, an 8% jump over last year, according to the latest data from Forrester Research.
Seven Ways To Tap Social Shopping
Marketers must understand that customers use social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to communicate with and gather information from their friends and colleagues. As a result, your presence on these sites must be integrated into the multi-directional communication when consumers want to interact with your firm. Here are seven ways to maximize social shopping results.
Will iPhone Lead The Growth In Portable Gaming?
A study by DFC Intelligence, released on Friday, predicts that games for the iPhone and iPod touch (an iPhone without the cellular capabilities) will be the principal drivers for growth in the overall portable and mobile gaming market in five years.
4 Emerging Trends Of The Real-Time Web
There is a lot of hype surrounding the real-time web, and much of the feeding frenzy reminds me of the RSS space four years ago — though there is a lot of potential, there is also a lot of noise.
A Shift In Mobile Computing From Laptops To Smaller Devices Is Forcing PC Makers To Adjust
The smartphone market will surpass laptops in unit sales this year, and will easily surpass the latter market in revenue by 2012.
Google's Eric Schmidt On What the Web Will Look Like In 5 Years
Google CEO Eric Schmidt envisions a radically changed internet five years from now: dominated by Chinese-language and social media content, delivered over super-fast bandwidth in real time. Figuring out how to rank real-time social content is “the great challenge of the age,” Schmidt said in an interview in front of thousands of CIOs and IT Directors at last week's Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Orlando 2009.
Does Social Media Work For Small Biz?
Small businesses are not hitting it off with social media, according to an August 2009 study from Citibank. More than three-quarters of U.S. small-business executives surveyed did not find social networks helpful for generating leads or expanding their business.
‘Gradual Greening' Of U.S. Tech Consumers
‘Green' or environmentally friendly policies and programs are becoming more top of mind for U.S. consumers when making technology related purchase decisions, but few are aware of specific policies, according to the annual Ipsos Green Technology report.
Online Retailers To Emphasize Free Shipping, Social Media This Holiday Season
The economy is not only impacting shoppers, it's affecting online retailers, too. According to results of Shop.org's eHoliday Study, conducted by BIGresearch, shoppers will see changes in retail marketing and promotions this holiday season in response to economic uncertainty. With an understanding that many of today's shoppers use Facebook and Twitter regularly, and because these tools are more cost-effective than traditional advertising, 47.1% of retailers surveyed will be increasing their use of social media this holiday season.
Top Ten Holiday Trends For 2009
BIGresearch shares 10 insights of what to expect this holiday season based largely on findings from NRF's first holiday survey.
Flat Is The New Up: Web Buzz Also Suggests Soft Holiday Retail Season
Despite increased optimism about the economy, the social media landscape indicates that we are in a similar place to where we were this time last year when it comes to spending; buzz about Christmas and holiday shopping is down 3% year-over-year.
TOP 12 WEB CELEBS TO WATCH FOR IN 2010
I frankly don’t know how the world ever got by before the internet. Seriously. Over the past few years, I’ve been so hardwired to the web that I swear I dream in html. So much of my time is spent clicking --- my left hand can barely hold onto a pencil, while my right hand can crush a Volkswagen --- In the year or so since we set up www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic, and since launching the new website and blog around two years ago, a lot of amazing online video auteurs have come to our attention. Here are a dozen up-n-coming webheads that we think are the TOP 12 WEB CELEBS TO WATCH FOR IN 2010…………………
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/30/top-dozen-web-celebs-to-watch-for-in-2010/
BOOTLEGGING AT CRICKET/COORS
Anyone wondering how effective all those “no recording devices” and “no cameras” signs and searches are at concert venues, here are a baker’s dozen of fan shot clips live from Cricket/Coors Amphitheatre. For some shows there are numerous videos posted by different fans / different vantage points…http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/30/bootlegging-at-coors-amphitheatre-aka-cricket-amph/
TOP FIVE MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS OF THE ROCK ERA
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4) Rock & Rule - mostly songs done for the movie, including Lou Reed (singing the Jagger-like lead baddie's theme song "My Name is Mok"), Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry (who played a role too), Cheap Trick, and a fantastic Earth Wind & Fire cut. The movie almost bankrupted legendary Canadian studio Nelvana, while the somewhat more adult-oriented Heavy Metal feature stole much of Rock & Rule's thunder - the fascinating tale is told at The Rock & Rule Homepage .
3) Lost Boys - space goth representing the best work ever done by Foreigner's Lou Gramm, plus Echo and the Bunnymen doing a cover version of "People Are Strange" that makes the Doors look like the stoner-led lucky hacks they always were.
2
As detailed on Wikipedia, the English musicians who played under the name The Venus in Furs on the soundtrack were Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, David Gray, Suede's Bernard Butler, and Roxy Music's Andy Mackay. The American musicians who played as Curt Wild's Wylde Ratttz on the soundtrack were The Stooges' Ron Asheton, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley, Minutemen's Mike Watt, Gumball's Don Fleming, and Mark Arm of Mudhoney.
The soundtrack features new songs written for the film by Pulp, Shudder to Think and Grant Lee Buffalo, as well as many early glam rock compositions, both covers and original versions. The Venus in Furs covers several Roxy Music songs with Thom Yorke channeling Bryan Ferry on vocals, Placebo covers T.Rex's "20th Century Boy," Wylde Ratttz and Ewan McGregor cover The Stooges' "T.V. Eye" and "Gimme Danger", and Teenage Fanclub and Donna Matthews cover The New York Dolls' "Personality Crisis." Lou Reed, Brian Eno, T.Rex, and Steve Harley songs from the period are also included. The album is rounded out by a piece of Carter Burwell's film score.
All three members of the band Placebo also appeared in the film, with Brian Molko and Steve Hewitt playing members of the Flaming Creatures (Malcolm and Billy respectively) and Stefan Olsdal playing Polly Small's bassist.
I debated hard over whether to list Times Square (1980) rather than one of the above choices, because I probably play that soundtrack album more than any of the others - but only a few of its songs are unique to the soundtrack. And some of the tracks that turn up elsewhere, like Patti Smith's "P-ssing in the River," are early versions that are kinda plain by comparison. 
Same website has downloadable audio files with two of Tim Curry's best albums, and an offbeat "Greatest Hits" collection of Curry cuts --
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WHAT I'M WATCHING - QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002)
RIP SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON FOUNDER SHEL DORF
Jack Kirby and Shel Dorf — November 9, 1969 - courtesy http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
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(colors: Christie Maconnell)
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ALSO SEE:
Tim Curry Rocks - Tim Curry has enjoyed a vastly and inexplicably underrated music career. Curry’s big, booming voice was perfectly suited for the theatrical rock opera-esque songs, most of which managed to be both gritty urban and feather-fay at the same time – think Springsteen concert as staged by Twyla Tharp... www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/17/tim-curry-rocks---a-custom-designed-dream-concert
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THE KIDS OF WIDNEY HIGH - A ROCK 'N' ROLL COMIC!
The Kids of Widney High: Beyond the Sky’s the Limit is the latest in a long line of accomplishments by The Kids of Widney High, a music group composed of students with developmental and/or physical challenges from J. P. Widney High School, a special education center in Los Angeles.
Written entirely by members of the band and illustrated by some of the comic book industry’s top talent, the 36-page book is a milestone event in both rock 'n' roll and comic book history. Contributors include award winning artists Jim Mahfood (Clerks, Jay & Silent Bob), Chuck B.B., and Rafael Navarro, along with up and coming new talent like Rikki Niehaus, Neal Von Flue, Robbi Rodriguez, and Chris Brandt.
All the dialogue spoken by characters in the book was drawn directly from quotes recorded during story sessions, effectively capturing the spirit and attitudes of the bandmembers. 
The Kids of Widney High first formed in a songwriting class in 1988 and has grown into a world-wide sensation. They've performed on stages all along the west coast including The House of Blues, The Key Club, and Chain Reaction, and they were recently featured in the movie The Ringer. A documentary detailing the history of the band is currently in production.
Bandmember Tony Whitfield proudly says the comic is “the music that will rock your eyes!”
www.kidsofwidneyhigh.com
(Knitting Factory: photog Mathew Klickstein)
Antimusic reports: As I Lay Dying is currently holed up with Killswitch Engage guitarist/producer Adam D. and Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios in San Diego, recording and writing their follow up to 2007's An Ocean between Us. The band will be recording and writing throughout the rest of 2009 and vocalist Tim Lambesis has issued the following update via the band's myspace page:
"We've released little bits of information here or there in previous news posts and blogs, but there are still questions coming in concerning what we've been up to. Below is an unquestionably obvious outline concerning our future plans…
1) We started working on new album.
2) We started recording the new album a few weeks ago with Adam D & Daniel Castleman at the reigns (and JMR for a couple weeks).
3) There are only drums for 8 songs tracked so far. One of them we're undecided about, but maybe it'll feel different when the vocals are done. Either way, we need write more than 8 songs (since they aren't as long as the 8 songs on Master of Puppets). Therefore we're working on writing MORE new songs as soon as we finish recording what's been started.
4) The only break in working on the new album will be our short trip to Mexico and Sri Lanka to play two of the best shows of our career. 5) All of us can't stress enough how grateful we are to be writing music that we love while still receiving a paycheck. This can only be credited to OUR LOYAL FANS! Sometimes bands need to rush out a crappy record so they can start touring again to pay their bills.
"In our case, we plan to make a record worth listening to (hopefully), and start touring again when we're done. Thanks for your patience and understanding. We care and we're working. In fact, I haven't had a full nights rest since March when the coolest kid ever made me a DAD!" - more on this story
As I Lay Dying (named after the book by William Faulkner) formed in 2001. The lineup consists of Tim Lambesis (vocals), Jordan Mancino(drums), guitarists Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso - bassist Clint Norris was replaced by Josh Gilbert in May 2007.
Hipa describes the band’s music as “brutal, energetic, melodic metal”; Mancino calls it “metal with ska breakdowns.” The band signed with Metal Blade Records in 2003 and spent 2006 supporting their album Shadows Are Security with opening slots for Slipknot and performances at Ozzfest events around the country.
“I never realized, until Ozzfest, about our utterly weird fans,” says Lambesis. “We were signing autographs...this guy brought out his two-week-old baby, and he actually has us sign the baby — our autographs are right there on its body.”
Jordan Mancino recalls, “The hardest thing [about Ozzfest] was getting stuck on a dirt road with our bus in the middle of the Arizona desert.”
Nick Hipa: “Lots of sloppy, gross old ladies walking around with their gross old boobs painted. Definitely a bum-out.”
Asked about being occasionally called “Christian metal,” Hipa says “All of us in the band are Christian dudes and we’re vocal about it and I think our lifestyles and our lyrics reflect that. But at the same time, we also tend to opt to play in the normal music scene because that’s what we love doing.”
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LOCAL NINE INCH NAILS DRUMMER HAS A NEW REGIME FOR YOU
Antimusic reports: We've been warned. "Things are about to get MANIC," so says Rock Sound magazine. What's behind that declaration? The New Regime, the "true solo project" of current Nine Inch Nails and former Lostprophets drummer Ilan Rubin. No mere time-keeper, the adept multi-instrumentalist wrote and recorded every note of bass, drums, guitar, piano and vocals on The New Regime's 2008 debut, Coup (Command! Music).
Feeling energized by the new crop of fans he's collected due to Nine Inch Nails' recently concluded "Wave Goodbye" tour, Rubinhas put together a special limited edition deluxe package of Coup set for release November 10 exclusively on the band's website (www.thenewregimemusic.com ). For $45, fans will get a 180 gram vinyl, the CD, a DVD featuring live performances and an interview with Rubin, a 16-page full color 12" x 12" booklet, and an exclusive website link to download instrumental mixes from The New Regime's website.
All 1,000 limited edition copies will also be hand-numbered and signed by Rubin. A stand alone digipak CD will also be available on the band's website for $7. To celebrate the package's release, the band will be performing at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday, November 19. Tickets are currently on sale.
In a true sign of support for his new band member, Trent Reznor is encouraging his hardcore fans to get to know The New Regime by offering a free download of the album in its entirety on NIN.com the same day as Coup's release. Nine Inch Nails' camp will also host the download on a direct link, http://thenewregime.nin.com , starting at midnight on November 10. - more on this story
Drummer Ilan Rubin. started his music career while still in grade school, with the local band Freak of Nature, which performed at Woodstock 1999. Nine Inch Nails announced this week that Rubin is their newest drummer in early '09. 20 years old at the time, Rubin used to take drum lessons from Travis Barker of blink-182 and David Uosikkinen, from the Hooters.
Astute Reader readers may remember that one previous NIN drummer, Jerome Dillon, had a medical mishap during a 2005 San Diego gig, only to find himself quickly replaced in the band.
Here’s the Overheard comic from September 2005, when NIN played in San Diego shortly after having done a show at Soma, only to have drummer Jerome Dillon fall over onstage ----
Dillon told MTV.com at the time "It was absolutely the most stressful thing I've been through in my life…During the third leg of the tour, I noticed that I was not feeling good. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with a thyroid malady and I was taking medication for it. I didn't know that [the medication wasn't working] and was building up in my system on the road."
A few NIN shows were cancelled, and then Dillon called NIN management to say he was back on his feet, healthy, and ready to get back behind his kit. But Dillon said Reznor and company showed "complete apathy and no sympathy for what I'd been through…I was not welcomed back with open arms, which I didn't understand, since I had been in the band for six years."
After booting Dillon from NIN, Reznor posted a message on the band’s website, saying “Jerome continuously has to see himself as the victim in all circumstances. He lives in a world where he is always being wronged by someone or something. That could be me, that could be management, that could be his drum tech, that could be the girl who mistakenly washed his permanent press designer jeans, that could be the person that didn't cook his chicken properly before the show, or that could be the record label that wont give him tour support for his new band to play a show…you look like an a-hole in your picture.”
Congratulations, Ilan, for becoming NIN’s new drummer...and, uh…..good luck!
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RYAN SEACREST HAS AN EVENTFUL FOR YOU
San Diego-based Eventful, Inc. and Ryan Seacrest Productions have announced a "strategic marketing and technology alliance." The alliance brings together Seacrest, the American Idol host and syndicated radio show producer, with Eventful, a digital service connecting fans with entertainment and local events.
Seacrest will produce entertainment content and marketing programs leveraging Eventful's proprietary technologies including the company's robust email technology platform and Eventful's unique Demand it! service which will empower Seacrest's audience to engage and vote on programming topics, "Demand" their favorite celebrities and participate in contests and promotions for entertainment and live events. The alliance is at the forefront of a movement in which performers and entertainment properties partner with leading social media companies to combine unique and engaging content with the latest technology platforms in order to reach and engage consumers.
To begin their new alliance, Ryan Seacrest and Eventful are announcing the launch of the 'Ryan Rock My Town' contest through Eventful's Demand it! service which allows fans to demand a free concert in their city featuring Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta. The city with the most Demanders will win the concert and participants will be eligible to receive the free tickets.
Fans can demand the concert online by going to RyanSeacrest.com. The winning city will be announced January 8, 2010 on Seacrest's radio show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and on KIIS FM in Los Angeles. The announcement will also be posted on RyanSeacrest.com immediately following the broadcast.
By hosting and producing multiple television and radio programs, Ryan Seacrest continues to be a force in entertainment media. The host of American Idol and the global radio countdown show, American Top 40 also has a market-topping #1 nationally syndicated entertainment morning drive-time radio show with On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
His RSP company has multiple shows in production including Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and the socially conscious Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution with famed British chef Jamie Oliver, premiering in 2010 on ABC.
Eventful is a digital social media service which connects consumers with entertainment, live events and performers. Along with Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, Eventful is part of the digital connection between fans and performers and a marketing resource for the music, film and entertainment industries. Reportedly, nearly 13 million people use Eventful's online, email and mobile services every week to discover what's happening in their local market and decide what to do. Eventful's unique Demand it! service "empowers fans to influence the location and content of events and entertainment."
"It is imperative we continue to engage and create dialogue with our audience," says Ryan Seacrest, "Eventful is at the forefront in the world of digital media and I am thrilled to be partnering with them."
"We're honored to work with Ryan Seacrest who is among the most talented and creative people I've ever met," said Eventful CEO Jordan Glazier. "The strategic alliance between Eventful and Ryan Seacrest brings big benefits to both of our companies and, most importantly, will bring exciting content and entertainment opportunities to consumers."
As part of the alliance, Seacrest joins Eventful's Board of Advisors.
Terms of the alliance were not disclosed.
30 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH.........
12-14-85: The Dead Kennedys played one of their final shows with original singer Jello Biafra, at downtown’s California Theater. As the set wrapped up, raucous fans tore up the seats and pulled curtains down from walls, causing police to call out a riot squad, though officers stayed outside the building until the crowd dispersed on its own.
The fifteen song set included tunes off their newest album Frankenchrist, as well as “Triumph of the Swill,” “Police Truck,” and the encore “Holiday in Cambodia.”
The show's promoter - future Casbah owner Tim Mays - recalls "The police were called in by the fire marshalls - who were freaking out about fans not staying in their seats and clogging the aisles. Some seats got destroyed...At one point I went outside to get some air, and there were police on all four corners surrounding the block the theatre was on. They weren't going to let me go back inside."
"Finally, one of my production managers convinced a female cop he happened to know that I was indeed the promoter and not just some random fan who had wandered outside."
The next night (12-15-85), the DKs performed at Tijuana’s Teatro Casa de la Cultura, in a show also promoted by Mays (tickets: $5). Outside the venue, Mexican police arrested several San Diegans “for no apparent reason,” according to newspaper columnist George Varga.
After the DKs, the California Theater only hosted a handful of punk shows for the remainder of its existence as a concert hall. After TJ, the band with Biafra only played three more concerts before calling quitting the concert trail a few weeks later.
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SHIPPING SUMMER 2010: ROCK 'N' ROLL CARTOON HISTORY - THE SIXTIES
Here's the first look at the cover art for the 300 page graphic novel Rock 'N' Roll Cartoon History: The Sixties, shipping summer 2010 from Bluewater Productions. www.bluewaterprod.com -- www.myspace.com/rocknrollcomics
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WHAT I'M WATCHING - QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002)It's never a good sign when the deleted scenes and DVD commentary are more enjoyable than the stand-alone film, but Queen of the Damned surprised me. It's got a lot of flaws - but it's not at all a horrible movie. It messed with and compressed/redid the Anne Rice novels so much that few people seem to like it - but I think if you go into without expecting it to be Anne Rice's Lestat, but rather a story loosely "inspired by" her books, it's a decent little goth movie.
Particularly the fully-realized music (and accompanying music videos, seen only in flashes during the movie but included on the DVD in their entirety, all framed ala German expressionism and surreal, very much Nosferatu/Doctor Caligary silent movie-inspired), by guys from Korn, Static X, Oingo Boingo, and even Marilyn Manson (who has one great album, Mechanical Animals, his Ziggy Stardust glam tribute/ripoff).
The whole vampire-goes-high-tech subtheme is intriguing, especially Lestat calling out his fellow vampires on the giant Times Square diamondvision screen ("Come out, come out, wherever you are"), and Lestat laying down inside a huge satellite dish and absorbing the entire world as it streams digitally and directly to his brain.
Some of the director's alterations from the two Rice novels the movie is based on (Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned) are actually improvements - such as keeping Lestat's debut concert to a one-time affair, thus explaining why the other vamps never went after him at other concerts (a vexing plothole in the Lestat novel).
On the other hand, transforming female lead Jesse from a savvy vampire hunter and historical archivist with insider insight into a mere "Bite me, baby, one more time" groupie is among the filmmaker's WORST moves - eccch. Even if the actress playing Jesse is quite fetching (Marquerite Moreau, also seen in the highly underrated remake of Bedazzled).
The DVD's deleted scene showing the other Ancient Ones, as they gather to plot against the Queen SHOULD have been kept, as it provides all the motive behind the anti-Queen backlash acted out by present day-to-day vamps. I especially loved the Ancient Ones walking freely thru a goth concert, looking around incredulously and commenting "Ancient Rome had nothing on these people!" Why oh why was all that cut???
An improvement over the books - having the big concert outdoors in the desert in a remote and isolated Burning Man-style gathering is FAR better than Rice's dinky little indoor concert hall melee. Visually, the ensuing onstage battles need to be matched by the epic size and scope of the event locale, so the movie version is much more dynamic, and really more correct and apropos than in the novel.
The remote concert locale also goes a long way toward explaining how vampires can suddenly "out" themselves and their powers all over the stage, without a worldwide audience immediately finding out all about the head undead (UnDeadheads?) coming out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
Stuart Townsend as Lestat deserves particular praise. While no Tom Cruise, he's a lot better than you'd expect, and certainly believable as a rock star. As surprisingly dynamic as Cruise was in Interview/Vampire, there's no WAY he could have done the rock star turn without making everyone laugh while remembering the tightie whitey dance from Risky Business!
LOCALS IN THE NEWS
Michael Robertson, the local webking whose original MP3.com and Sideload websites caused no end of legal troubles, has sold San Diego-based Gizmo5 to Google for $30 million. Gizmo5 specializes in internet telephony technology. Google Acquires voip Firm Gizmo5 for $30 Million
Antimusic reports: As I Lay Dying entered the studio in October with Adam Dutkiewicz (of Killswitch Engage) and Daniel Castleman (Winds Of Plague) to begin tracking their next Metal Blade Records release. more
Travis Barker spoke with MTV and told them a little about his solo album plans, "There's some stuff on my record that's not going to have a bunch of guitars, that are just straight-up hip hop records. Everything's going be real different. It's going to be really well-rounded," he told MTV News on Wednesday. "We got a new Blink song on there, I think I'm going to do something with Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. Slash is a maybe too
Former San Diego street urchin Linda Perry - who went on to front 4 Non Blondes and to write hits for Xtina and others - has signed Little Fish to her Custard label via Universal Motown Records, Little Fish's debut album Baffled and Beat is set for an early 2010 release. The album was produced by Perry herself, in her Los Angeles studio. The band is currently on tour in the UK supporting The Eagles Of Death Metal and will finish up a set of dates with Juliette Lewis in December. With a handful of CMJ dates already under their belt, the band will soon be hitting the States to strut their stuff. - go fishing here
Flogging Molly have announced dates for what has become their annual spring tour centered around the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The "Green 17 Tour" kicks off on February 9th in Dallas, Texas more
Blink-182's Travis Barker appears alongside Taylor Swift and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, and Weezer's Rivers Cuomo in Brett Ratner-directed commercial ad for Activision video game Band Hero where they recreate a scene from "Risky Business". "The premise is that we're sliding out into a living room and it's me and three other players. The three other players are some of my musical heroes," Taylor commented more
The Black Heart Procession are interviewed in the new Filter Magazine - Q: The first show of the tour will be at The Casbah in your hometown of San Diego. Is it symbolic that you start where the band began 12 years ago? (more Q&A: The Black Heart Procession)
Pinback are featured in a new article in the Washington Examiner - Pinback plays on: California band brings show to dc's Black Cat
Runhoney drummer Emily O'Bannon will appear in the November 25 episode of the new TV show Glee, which has proven to be a huge hit, having sold over two million songs online. O'Bannon plays the drummer for a rival band competing with the Glee crew. O'Bannon also works at the newly opened Gossip Grill, which is operated by Chris Shaw, formerly of the Flame.
AntiMusic reports: A lil Judas Priest Christmas cheer for Halloween? The new single "Christmas for Everyone" from Halford III Winter Songs is available as a FREE download from HalfordMusic.com . Four more new singles from "Halford III Winter Songs" are available for purchase from HalfordMusic.com as well:Get Into The Spirit, We Three Kings, Oh Come O Come Emanuel, Winter Song. more
Check out Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready performing "Ball & Chain" with Social D here Also be on the look out for video of Mike Ness and Jonny "2Bags" Wickersham joining Pearl Jam on-stage performing "Down."
We Are The Fallen, the new band featuring original Evanescence members Ben Moody (guitar) and John LeCompt (guitar) and Rocky Gray (drums) along with American Idol vocalist Carly Smithson is currently recording its debut album for Universal Republic in Los Angeles and expect to release it in early 2010. more
Stone Temple Pilots are just about to hit Canada with a couple of random dates set after that. Sounds like a perfect time to get to work on an album, and that's the plan according to frontman Scott Weiland: "When we get back[from touring], we're going to finish the album. And then when we finish the album, there will be a big tour around its release and that will probably be a long tour." more
Adam Lambert had this update for fans on his Twitter account: "Well here's some more album info for you guys! The upcoming single was produced by Dr Luke!!" he twits. "Debut single is called 'For Your Entertainment' get ready to shake yo asses to this song. It'll make ya dance for sure." more
Less than three weeks from its release day, Lambert's major-label debut album For Your Entertainment has been previewed. All of the fourteen songs on the album can be streamed for 30 seconds on Amazon U.K. more
(Lambert's Nagel-inspired cover art looks a lot like Rihanna's new album, not to mention below Kylie Minogue records! A new "Touch Yer Face" fad?)
TEN SONGS BY LOCALS THAT ARE BETTER WHEN SOMEONE ELSE DOES THEM! --- courtesy Bart Mendoza
Being a musician is great but being a songwriter can be even greater - if your song ends up in the right hands, or with the right voice. Here are ten songs by ten
Phil Collins / “Separate Lives”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF0scfQ7_so
Written By Stephen Bishop. A huge worldwide hit, as heard in the 1985 film, White Knights.
Phil Collins & Phillip Bailey / “Easy Lover”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1kDmnHyOBg
Co-written by Nathan East. This one went all the way to #2 in 1984, hitting #1 in the
Dan Fogelberg / “Rhthym of The Rain”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djCUfGVd9lY
Written by John Gummoe. This is the lone track here that was a hit in an earlier incarnation as well, in this case by Gummoe's own group, The Cascades. Fogelberg’s 1990 version was a #3 Adult Contemporary Hit, and is till ubiquitous on soft-rock radio. Also one of only two songs by a local songwriter to hit near the top of the charts with more than one version of a song. So far.
Lynyrd Skynyrd/ "Call Me the Breeze"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaTZkIInYNw
Written by JJ Cale. This is the band in their prime, with a 1975 appearance on British TV program, The Ol’ Grey Whistle Test.
Steve Miller Band / “Jungle Love”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHXMnC2qwk
Co-written by Greg Douglass. Some songs are lucky enough to get a second chance at hit status, as happened when Steve Miller’s “Jungle Love” was used as a theme song for CBS-TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
The Monkees / “Daydream Believer”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9m-hkvFDLk
Written by John Stewart. Many others including Anne Murray and Shonen Knife have had hits / singles with the song. With so many versions to choose from, we went with U2 live, with head Monkee, Davy Jones, in 1997.
The Matrix with Katy Perry / “Broken”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOoyiN3BfP0
Co-written by Anna Troy & Lindsey Troy. This single was recorded in 2004, but not released until 2009. The Troys version of the song, was called “What Do You Do.”
The Ramones / “I Don’t Want To Grow Up”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU2SRNU955c
Written by Tom Waits and another tune with many versions – dig the Dan Clowes artwork in the video!
Johnny Rivers / “Slow Dancin (Swayin’ To The Music)”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQOmW_TVPxI
Written by Jack Tempchin, one of his many hit songs. This version is live, on NBC-TV’s The Midnight Special.
Various Artists / “Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-P3ClQfWks
Written by Jeannie & Jimmy Chetham. Many blues songs have been written by San Diegans, but only one is a certified standard, covered by hundreds of bands worldwide. Case in point, here’s one of a numerous local bands found online playing the tune, Band of Oz, from
RIP SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON FOUNDER SHEL DORFLongtime comic book historian Shel Dorf passed away November 3, at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, after a long hospitalization. His brother, Michael Dorf, was at his side. If you knew Shel, or just want to find out more about the man who founded the San Diego Comic-Con, I encourage you to visit (and maybe post to) http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
The original San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon was held on March 21, 1970 at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. News of Shel's passing leaves me very sad - he knew Revolutionary Comics founder Todd Loren back when Todd was first doing comic conventions in around Detroit, and I've known Shel since his early '80s days at the San Diego Comic-Con and working with us at Blackthorne Publishing on the Dick Tracy comic strip reprints in the late '80s.
I didn't begin attending the local Comic-Con until 1983, when they were at the Community Concourse Civic Theater and Golden Hall, but from then I went every year, up until I retired from comic book publishing in 2000. Shel withdrew from running the Con in the mid-'80s, and my first-ever professional "comic-creator" Con pass came courtesy of friends of Shel, who let me attend his farewell party where I met dozens of comic creators and publishers who'd later be instrumental in my own career.
One of my biggest professional or personal thrills to date was drawing a little piece of skullface barbarian artwork on a gigantic wall-size paper card that everyone at Shel's party was drawing on that night, along with personal messages of cheer and well wishes - I sheepishly scribbled my art between drawings by the likes of Berni Wrightson, Frank Brunner, and John Pound, feeling for all the world like an interloper and imposter, brazenly defacing Shel's giant greeting card with my own inadequate scrawl.
But then Shel walked over, shook my hand, and thanked me ---- I cite that as the very moment I became a professional comic book creator ---
Many years later, around 1992, I went to lunch with Shel and Revolutionary Comics publisher Herb Shapiro. I was surprised to find that Shel actually remembered me from as far back at that '80s Comic-Con party, tho I imagine he only remembered because I was the one guy he'd never met before but who defaced his giant greeting card anyway.
During lunch, Shel looked at me and said "I had a feeling right from the start that you were one of the good guys in comics."
I've strived ever since to live up to that pronouncement ----
Shel Dorf was a rare true-life hero -- he'll be sorely missed ---
Jay Allen Sanford 11/3/09
Jack Kirby and Shel Dorf — November 9, 1969 - courtesy http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
THE RETURN OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS!
Here's a sneak peek at the first promo art for the locally-produced Rock 'N' Roll Comics: Hard Rock Heroes, a 400 page graphic novel shipping from Bluewater Productions in early 2010, as well as the 240 page Beatles Experience comic, the Pink Floyd Experience, Led Zeppelin Experience, the Elvis Presley Experience, and more -
JAS
First, here's the first look at the Elvis Presley Experience cover art:
And here's the scoop and a first look at the cover of the Pink Floyd Experience:
Hard Rock Heroes: What goes together better than comics and rock music? With almost 300 pages of Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics, Hard Rock Heroes goes WAY beyond Behind the Music, to tell the real life, behind-the-scenes stories of rock’s most heavy hitters. Creators include Stuart Immonen (Superman: End of the Century), Ken Landgraf (Wolverine), Jay Allen Sanford (Overheard in San Diego..), Todd Loren (Beatles Experience), Scott Pentzer (Razor), Mike Sagara (Ninja High School), and many others.
Hard Rock Heroes is a book-length pictorial history, covering bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Poison, Megadeth, Pantera, Anthrax, Motorhead, Sammy Hagar, and more. The cinematic stories are realistically drawn, researched from countless photo and video archives, with an encyclopedic eye toward visual accuracy, dramatic flair, and journalistic depth.
Also includes the never-before published “missing” Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics #8 from 1990, on Skid Row. The lack of an eighth issue has vexed collectors and catalogers for years – exactly 20 years later, the story can finally be told, and collectors can finally own ALL the Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics!
As a bonus treat, Hard Rock Heroes also features the Motley Crue comic story from their official box CD set Music To Crash Your Car To II, released in 2004 and written and drawn by original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics creators Lyndal Ferguson and Larry Nadolsky. Shipping February 2010.
(colors: Christie Maconnell)
"Great ideas, like the marriage of rock 'n' roll and comics, have the half-life of Uranium and will always be popular," says series co-creator Jay Allen Sanford, who has worked on over 200 reality-based comic books and thousands of similar cartoon strips for the San Diego Reader, as well as for magazines like Rip, Spin, and Oui. "The folks at Bluewater clearly have their fingers on the same pop culture pulse that enabled the original Rock 'N' Roll Comics to become one of the top-selling indie comics of the '90s. Truth is often stranger than fiction...and certainly much more interesting!"
The Beatles are bigger than ever, now available online for the first time digitally, on the Vegas stage in “Love,” and in the new Beatles: Rock Band video game. Now comes the most comprehensive and encyclopedic illustrated Beatles story ever, the Beatles Experience! Over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics) and Stuart Immonen (Legion of Super Heroes, Ultimate X-Men).
Covering the Beatles’ lives from birth and beyond their breakup, dramatized in dialogue and scene recreations more akin to a film bio than a mere documentary, the Beatles Experience also includes a Chronolog timeline going down each page, with encyclopedia background and footnotes detailing related events happening at the same time in the world, in music, and in the Beatles’ own tumultuous and extraordinary lives.
The Led Zeppelin Experience:
The Led Zeppelin saga is one of the wildest in rock history, and this graphic novel pulls no punches in dramatizing the backstage, behind-the-scenes story. From their early days as the New Yardbirds on through their rise to superstardom (and controversy), all five issues of the original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics series are collected in one rockin’ volume, with art by Scott Pentzer (Razor), Marshall Ross (Deepest Dimension), David Neer (Sports Superstars), Francois Escalmel (Frank Zappa: Viva La Bizarre), and others. The collection also includes update material, bringing the saga up to 2010.
MORE STRANGE STAGE MOMENTS - courtesy of Bart Mendoza
Zank Bennett: “At a gig, I was standing just behind our main speaker at the Tiki in PB, leaning against the map that is on the wall there. A little later I was playing a big solo in a song called “Saturday Night” and I went to lean back on the map/wall. It wasn't there. Unfortunately, I had spun another 45 degrees during my solo and hadn’t realized it. I was directly behind our front-of-the-house speaker; the one that sat atop an empty keg of beer. Still with my eyes closed, I leaned back and the three of us, the keg, the speaker on top and I, went tumbling the foot-and-a-half drop to the floor below. We were about three beats from the end of the song. The band never lost a beat and we finished the syncopated last few bars perfectly, more or less. And without a scratch.
Karin Carson: “One time I was playing shaker on a gig and getting really into the tune. So into it, that I lost the grip on my shaker, which went flying towards the guitar player, who, mid-riff, dodged the flying shaker in a matrix like move, sideways. The audience never caught on, but we still laugh about it.”
Carolyn Kallis / Coco and Lafe: “We were busking on the street in Boston and this very large man came down and sat down in front of us, almost right on the microphone, sort of assumed the yogi position and pulled out a can of colt 45. He started to mumble along to our songs, but then he lay down and fell asleep. Every once in awhile he’d wake up, mumble something and then go back to sleep. Homeless people really gravitated to us in
Danny Cress / The Coyote Problem: “I was in a surf trio a few years ago. We were in a club playing a version of the old standard “Caravan,” when all of a sudden - and in unison, the guitarist and bass player just put down their instruments and walked off. They headed towards the bar, looking at me just long enough to say “drum solo.” It was probably only about five minutes before they came back, but it seemed much longer.”
Mary Dolan: “I was booked for a performance at an AA convention in
Calen Lucas / Family Wagon: “We played a concert on Halloween and there was a giant pumpkin on the stage right in the center, where the monitors should be. As we were playing I decided to put one foot up on the pumpkin for dramatic effect. Except that my foot sunk right into the center of the pumpkin, which was hot orange goo under the stagelights.”
Abraham Nunez / Team Abraham: “At our Record Release Party (@ the Casbah) in March, we were mid-set when I suddenly see two bras hanging from the mic stand. One was very sexy the other was fairly large and sturdy. This was fine and I kept playing and all, but mid the next song, I see some boxers being passed down toward the stage... they we're flannel and I could smell them as they were being placed, by a fan, onto the mic stand. I wasn't sure how to respond...”
Eric Schauer: “Strangest thing? A gig at a dirty dive called "The Double Down" in
Anna Troy: “On stage at Lestats, I was singing a song with a friends band when a piece of hair went into my mouth. It was uncomfortable, but I waited until between songs to pull it out, complete with spit. Not very graceful, but it had to be done. For some reason the guys in the band loved it. The bassist said it was the highlight of the night.”
Jaime Valle: “Years ago, I was playing an underground
UPSTAGING APPLE'S iTUNES: Electrical engineers go head to head with Genius on music playlists
UC San Diego engineers use their song-annotating algorithms to study playlists
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Electrical engineers recently pitted Genius – the music recommendation system in Apple's iTunes – against two experimental music recommender systems. Genius appears to capture acoustic similarities among songs within the same playlist, the researchers found. The University of California, San Diego electrical engineers also discovered that the music recommender they built from scratch can generate song playlists that human subjects thought were as good as those that Genius generates. The UC San Diego system works for songs that Genius knows nothing about.
UC San Diego electrical engineering Ph.D. student Luke Barrington presented these findings on October 28 at the 2009 International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference (ISMIR 2009) in Kobe, Japan. (Read the paper at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/pubs/Barrington-Genius-ISMIR09.pdf
"Our goal is to make a music recommendation tool that is as good as or better than Genius, but that does not require massive amounts of user data. The system we are developing can analyze and recommend completely unknown songs by new bands as accurately as it analyzes the most popular hits," said Barrington, who used the same underlying technology to create a series of music discovery games for Facebook (http://herdit.org) and a new kind of music search engine that will be available for beta testing next week (http://herdit.org/music/index.html). Watch a three minute video about the new music search engine at: http://cse-ece-ucsd.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-music-search-engine-on-way.html
Tools for creating automated music playlists are increasingly useful now that huge numbers of songs are available for download and streaming to anyone with an Internet connection. iTunes – the most popular music retailer on the planet – has sold more than 6 billion tracks. Genius uses "collaborative filtering" on these purchase statistics to help people organize their music and discover new songs they might like based on similarity to a "seed" song that they do like.
By averaging statistics about how millions of listeners purchase and play music, Genius appears to actually capture acoustic similarities between songs, according to the new research, which involved human evaluation of music recommendation systems and was led by researchers at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Because Genius is a proprietary system whose secrets are not available to the public, the researchers studied it by testing its song recommendations against comparable song suggestions from experimental music recommender systems that they fully understood.
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"At first we thought that collaborative filtering would just spot similar artists: if you like Daft Punk, it might recommend any song by Justice. However, we found that acoustic similarities come through in Genius playlists. Genius seems to find correspondences between songs that go beyond what you get by just matching artists. We don't think Genius actually knows anything about the acoustics of songs, but it still produces great recommendations since the data it is using is built upon acoustic analyses of the music done by millions humans," said Luke Barrington, an electrical engineering Ph.D. candidate at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and the first author of the new study. Gert Lanckriet, an electrical and computer engineering professor from UC San Diego and Reid Oda, an undergraduate in cognitive sciences at UC San Diego are co-authors on this paper, available at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/pubs/Barrington-Genius-ISMIR09.pdf
Smarter than Genius?
The UC San Diego researchers found that the playlist generator they built using their own algorithms performed as well as Genius under certain conditions. In contrast to Genius, which uses information about the songs people buy and listen to in iTunes in order to learn which songs in any iTunes library are related, the UCSD music recommender relies on auto-tagging algorithms that use machine learning to label songs with descriptive words based only on the acoustic content of the songs.
"Our computer system works by listening to the music – it doesn't know anything about artists or albums or charts. In some trials of our survey, we tried to remove these biases from the human listeners by hiding the names of the songs and artists and making sure that subjects liked the seed songs but had not heard them before," said Barrington. In these cases, the researchers found that people liked playlists generated by the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms as often as they liked Genius playlists.
This partial parity with Genius underscores how the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms can be used to generate high quality music playlists that incorporate lesser-known and unknown songs. Genius currently ignores relatively unknown songs because it lacks adequate wisdom from iTunes customers about how these songs connect to other songs. Systems like the auto-tagging music algorithms developed at UC San Diego could be useful in filling in the "blind spots" in Genius and other collaborative filtering systems that rely on the wisdom of the masses to generate playlists.
"We weren't expecting our system to beat Genius at making playlists based on the most popular songs – our system doesn't know about artists, popularity, release dates, albums or anything else that the average music fan is aware of. Once we add that information in, we think we can build something that is really smarter than Genius," said Barrington.
Music Games are Serious Research
The UCSD electrical engineers are always improving their auto-tagging algorithms thanks to a series of music discovery games they created for Facebook called Herd It (http://www.herdit.org/). Players listen to songs and compete with other online players to most accurately describe the songs they are listening to. The electrical engineers use the song-word combinations these games generate to improve the accuracy and breadth of their auto-tagging algorithms.
As with the Herd It games, the surveys the engineers created to study playlists also began with humans listening to a song clip. Next, the survey system produced two competing five-song playlists for the same seed song. Playlists were generated by one of the four possible recommender systems the researchers were studying: Genius; Artist Similarity – a music recommender that selected songs based only on similar artists; Similar Tags – a music recommender that selected songs based only on the audio content of the songs (this system was built upon the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms); or random playlist.
For each pair of playlists, subjects identified the list they thought was better. Playlists were built from the authors' personal music library of over 12,000 relatively popular songs that span the most common genres of Western popular music. The list of songs used to seed playlists is available at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/projects/playlist/
People are moving more and more to streaming music, where listeners don't have the actual file. With access to every song on You Tube, deciding which of the 10 million songs you want to listen to next can be daunting.
"Playlists are an increasingly important tool for overcoming what otherwise might be an overwhelming amount of streaming music," said Barrington.
New Music Search Technologies
The algorithms that automatically tag songs with descriptive words that are at the foundation of the UC San Diego playlist generator are also powering a new breed of search engine for music as well as Facebook games that provide researchers with the information needed to improve the new search engine. To watch a video highlighting the capabilities of the new music search engine, go to: http://cse-ece-ucsd.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-music-search-engine-on-way.html
This search engine will be available for beta testing next week. Register for the music search engine beta test at: http://herdit.org/music/
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SPORTS ARENA MVP SPILLS ON 2.5 MIL REDO AND NEW ARENA NIGHTCLUB
“We’re putting two and a half million dollars in the building” says Ernie Hahn, General Manager of the Sports Arena for the past 13 years. “It’s been a year since AEG Live became a majority owner partner and, since there’s no new arena being built for awhile in San Diego, AEG is modernizing the facility with creature comforts like LCD TV screens, flat screens, redoing the entrances and the outer concourse, paint and colors and lighting, and all new lower level seats. The eight rows of riser seats at the Arena that have literally been here since day one are all getting replaced, [with] 2,200 state-of-the-art seats.”
Construction has also begun on “a special club for our sponsors and club seat holders,” in the old Arena Club space, set to open later this year. Club 3500 (the facility’s address) will be 6,500 square feet, with a 350-person occupancy and accessed via membership only. “When you walk in,” says Hahn, “it’s going to feel like a downtown club, really swank, hip, and sophisticated. It’ll be close to a dedicated seating section at stage right, which will be put aside for our club members.”
Annual membership is $2,450.00, with the option to purchase up to four “dedicated seating” tickets for events you want to opt-in for. Other perks include VIP parking, a VIP entrance, and its own “Exclusive men’s and women’s rest rooms, with sound in them, new paint, mirrors, sinks, and counters, and stalls. The Arena Club in the past always had to utilize the rest rooms that are also available to anybody in [sections] A, B or C on the floor.”
Hahn is also outfitting Club 3500 with Arena memorabilia. “Few houses have this kind of history,” he says. “A lot of people saw their first concert here. We’ll have over 120 pictures showing the actual [Sports Arena] history, like Pink Floyd in ‘74, or the Stones in ’72. I’ve got a great shot of Elton John, one of Elvis in ‘73 or ‘76, and I think a Led Zeppelin ‘75 shot. We have a great photo of James Brown here in 1967, and one of John Denver in the mid-seventies, which I particularly like.”
The 42 year-old Hahn grew up in locally, with parents who were Mariners season ticket holders in the ‘70s (“Lower level one, two seats on the end, across from the visiting penalty box”). He began at the facility as an event coordinator in June 1991.
AEG runs, operates, or is involved with around a hundred arena facilities worldwide, though Hahn notes “We’re an open building. So, whether it’s Live Nation or AEG or anyone else, all shows are not only welcome but encouraged here.”
As for selling naming rights to the building (after a short-lived stint at the iPayOne Center), Hahn says “Through the global partnerships division of AEG, we’re working with a lot of sponsors, some who just recently stepped up, and we’re in discussions with a couple who will hopefully bid or ultimately come in as a naming rights partner.”
AEG sold naming rights for
And now, courtesy of Bart Mendoza, here are 15 video clips set at the Sports Arena, some pro-shot and some fan-made ----
1) Tribal Seeds @ Reggae Fest 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONzQ-w7zr84
2) Fleetwood Mac / “Dreams” 05/31/09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eXXAth0i74
3) Metallica / “Enter Sandman” 01-13/14-92 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYlPUNEwGRU
4) Nirvana / “Heart Shaped Box” 12 29 93 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVGpbtv2mgU
5) U2 / “Beautiful Day” 09 28 05 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HhnRBOMJhY
6) George Micheal / “Careless Whisper” 06/17/08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml1Qlpn_LQ8
7) Led Zeppelin Comes to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APplenzzKk4
8) Taylor Swift / “Hey Stephan” (really good footage of her interacting with concert crowd at 2:30 – kind of daring actually…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI4e8_fn80k
9) AC/DC / “Back In Black” 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiWX-7khEog
10) Janet Jackson / ….. (Janet gets overwhelmed by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcosWOI-dOs
11) Pearl Jam / “Jeremy” 1995 – not great pic quality, but really good sound!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCOZoUcPANI
12) JJ Cale & Eric Clapton / “Cocaine” 03/15/07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg63-uOgUJ8
13) P.O.D. / “Boom” (just 8 seconds worth!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXEzvQtnC9w
14) Ozzy Osbourne / …end of the show (fake gunshots!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUpDN1gOx5s
15) Slayer / At the Sports Arena 1992 (a brief parking lot clip shot by a fan!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H_9zhpMDHY
************************************************WHY MEXICANS HATED ELVIS!
May 1959: While Elvis Presley’s popularity in the U.S. was arguably at its all-time peak, Mexico was in the midst of a huge anti-Elvis backlash.
Tijuana tabloids called him a racist and homosexual, after the singer reportedly told gossip columnist Federico de León “I’d rather kiss three black girls than a Mexican.” A Mexican woman in the same column was quoted saying “I’d rather kiss three dogs than one Elvis Presley.”
Mexican Radio Exitos read de León’s column over the air and spearheaded a boycott of the “insolent artist,” while the powerful student group Federación Estudiantil Universitaria (FEU) held public record burnings.
When Elvis’ movie King Creole screened in May 1959 at the Américas Cinema in Mexico City, newspapers who’d advertised the film under the title Melodía Siniestra (Sinister Melody) reported a “riot” occurring.
Mexican counterculture novelist Parménides García Saldaña wrote a short story, “El rey criollo,” about the screening where several hundred gatecrashers reportedly shredded the seats and threw lit papers onto patrons from the balcony.
“Before the film began,” wrote Saldaña, “it was pure chaos, a f-ing riot as they say more vulgarly. The different gangs shouted ‘Here the Guerrero [neighborhood],’ ‘Here the Roma’ …And then some chicks come in with leather jackets with swastikas painted on them, pony tails and bobby socks, real rock and roller like…a group of guys gang up around them [and shout] “‘Dance!’”
Mexican reporters suggested Elvis’ hip-wiggling and mannerisms proved he was either maricón (homosexual) or actually a woman in reverse-drag.
The movie Los chiflados del rock’n roll, a musical spoof, was promoted with posters showing Elvis in drag, being shot by rifle-toting men in sombreros, under a banner reading “Die Elvis Presley!”
The book “Refried Elvis: The Rise of the Mexican Counterculture” (Berkeley: University of California Press, c1999) claims the original Elvis quote was fabricated. According to author Eric Zolov, “Herbe Pompeyo of Polygram Records in Mexico City claims that a high-up Mexican political figure wanted to contract Presley for a private party, for which he sent the performer a blank check to fill in as he wished.
Presley, according to the story, returned the blank check, so the politico, extremely offended, invented the storyline about Elvis not liking Mexican women.”
Who could have imagined that, four decades later, Mexico would be producing more Elvis velvet paintings than any other region in the world…
…not to mention giving us “El Vez, the Mexican Elvis….”
Many of the artists from Revolutionary Comics, Rock 'N' Roll Comics, and Carnal Comics have joined forces once again to work on a new & unusual comic and reality based project – The Obama Nation Card Game!
Obama Nation makes good-natured fun of politics, republicans and democrats, government spending and the
Former Rev Com artist (and Obama Game art director) Steve Crompton described how it all came together; ”It’s a bit like a cross between wacky packages, Old Maid and some of the stuff Revolutionary Comics might have done if they made card games. I thought it would be fun to get the old gang together for something like this, and I needed all the help I could get, so I contacted everyone I could find and I’m really happy with the response and great art I got from my Rev Com & Carnal pals.”
A quick look at the 54 card deck shows reveals an impressive list of RevCom & Carnal alums, including Lyndal Ferguson, Scott Jackson, Steve Crompton, Brad Foster, Gus Norman, Randy Vogel and Philo. There may even be a few others hiding in the set as a complete list of all the RevCom artists is hard to come by.
The full-color 54 card deck comes in a resealable box for a only $7.99.
http://shop.twistedrules.com/
You can also get it at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/shops/carnalcomics
http://www.obamanationcardgame.com/
***********************************************WHY AL KOOPER HATES LOCAL WRITERS (BUT LOVES SAN DIEGO)
Legendary keyboardist Al Kooper has played with Dylan, the Stones, George Harrison and countless others, but he still has time to beef about local music reporters like Buddy Blue and a certain Reader columnist... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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Rollingstone.com has added Anya Marina to their "breaking artist" profiles - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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THE BEATLES IN
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UNEXPECTED BEATLES ART - The Fab Four turn up in the oddest places... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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MAHARISH COMIX AND STORIES, OR "YOGI MAKES A BOO-BOO"
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WEIRD BEATLES MERCHANDISE - WTF were these licensors (and bootleggers) thinking... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/feb/06/my-brunch-with-yoko-plus-weird-beatles
MY BRUNCH WITH YOKO - Brunch with a Beatle bride... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/feb/06/my-brunch-with-yoko-plus-weird-beatles
YOKO ONO COMICS AND STORIES - When Johnny Met Yoko, with dialogue and captions paraphrased from published Lennon interviews. Plus John Lennon: A Life in the Day
LENNON OR McCARTNEY?? --We asked 25 local performers about their fave Beatle (and why), and got some surprising (and frequently revealing) answers...
CELEBRITY HOUSE HUNTING IN SAN DIEGO - Real estate broker Jeff Paiste has squired several famous musicians around San Diego in their search for decent digs to lease or rent, including Bread frontman David Gates and the late George Harrison.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/13/celebrity-house-hunting-in-san-diego
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JOEY MOLLAND/BADFINGER INTERVIEW - Badfinger's last man standing, Joey Molland, reveals more about the tragic story of Badfinger, as well as meeting and working with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Todd Rundgren, plus the Concert for Bangladesh, and more. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/21/x-jam-cancellation-controversy-plus-how-i-snuck-in/
THE DAY JOHN LENNON WAS SHOT - Local celebs share their recollections of December 8, 1980, plus guest essays from Al Kooper (who was recording with George Harrison that day) and others.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/25/john-lennon-12-8-1980-we-ask-local-celebs-where-we/
Exclusive preview and new interview with one of the creators/performers behind the new internet Trek series - click for more ---http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/oct/04/happy-rons-hormonal-harem---loving-san-diegos-musi/#
READER EXCLUSIVE - For the first time anywhere on the web, here's the promo trailer for Star Trek: The Continuing Mission, episode six: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/audioclips/66/
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The Twilight Zone made it's TV debut 50 years ago, on 10-2-59 - we asked local musicos to tell us their own favorite Zone episodes --- (more "What's Your Favorite Twilight Zone?" )
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THE ROCKETEER AND OTHER FAMOUS '80S COMICS BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO - Here's a detailed history of local Pacific Comics, who recruited comic superstars like Jack Kirby to create one of the first successful indie comic book lines. Pioneers in the fight for comic creators' rights and royalties, former employees and operators reveal how they did it, and what went so terribly wrong...
THE KOMPLETE KISS KOMIX KRONICLES - Comprehensive collection of stuff I’ve done about working with Kiss on a comic book series in San Diego, along with a bunch of never-before-seen artifacts from the Kiss Komix archives AND an article by Kiss comic author Spike Steffenhagen, offering his own very-different take, ala Rashomon, on the same events I describe in my essay...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/komplete-kiss-komix-kronicles
ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS: THE INSIDE STORY - In 1989, San Diego's Revolutionary Comics ("Unauthorized And Proud Of It") launched Rock 'N' Roll Comics, featuring unlicensed biographies of rock stars, most of which I wrote. Some performers, like Frank Zappa and Kiss, were supportive, while others like New Kids On The Block considered our comics akin to bootlegs and sued. In June 1992, publisher Todd Loren was found dead in his San Diego condo, brutally murdered...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/rock-n-roll-comics-the-inside-story
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK VS REVOLUTIONARY COMICS - The inside story of how a hugely successful boy band tried to sue local-based Rock 'N' Roll Comics over an unauthorized biography of the group, sparking a court case that established, for the very first time, first amendment rights for comic books. Illustrated by comic superstar Stuart Immonen (Superman, etc.)...
OVER A MILLION CARNAL COMICS ARE IN PRINT - Here's how and why we made some of the top-selling erotic comics of all time, right here in San Diego, including what Gene Simmons has to do with it all, backstage tales of porn stars, and more confessions of a comic pornographer...
COMICS AND CENSORSHIP - DON'T BE AFRAID, IT'S ONLY A COMIC BOOK - A local-centric history of comic book censorship, and the fight for the rights of comic creators...
TWILIGHT ZONE AND STAR TREK WRITER GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON PRESENTS - The inside story of a local horror comic book series featuring Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, plus sci-fi king Larry Niven, Zap Comix co-founder Spain Rodriguez, Matthew Alice artist Rick Geary, Vampire Lestat painter Daerick Gross, yours truly JAS, and many more...
THE BIRTH OF IMAGE COMICS: INSIDE STORY OF A LOCAL PUBLISHING POWERHOUSE - Illustrated tale revealing how Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and local comic artist Jim Lee (the Punisher, etc.) conspired to create the ultimate creator-owned comic books...
Down the Slippery Slope - Arrested For the Crime of Viewing Manga
On March 30, 2004, when Dwight Whorley found the Japanese website of Fractal Underground Studio via Yahoo and clicked on a couple of the thumbnail images... ( http://comipress.com/special/miscellaneous/down-the-slippery-slope-the-crime-of-viewing-manga )
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"Before It Was The Gaslamp: Balboa's Last Stand" - Cover story 6-21-07: In the late 70s/early 80s, I worked at downtown San Diego's grindhouse all-night movie theaters, for the owner of the Pussycat Theatre chain, Vince Miranda - this detailed feature recalls those dayz, the death of the Balboa Theatre, etc.
More Before It Was the Gaslamp
"Battle Of The Peeps" - feature article about a weird gig I had in the mid-'80s, running a strip club called Jolar, for the nation's second biggest pornographer, Harry Mohney (Deja Vu Showgirls founder).
More Battle of the Peeps - An Insider History of San Diego Porn Shops
"Field Of Screens" - Cover story 7-6-06: Complete theater-by-theater history of San Diego drive-ins thru the years, including a few which screened X-rated fare for awhile.
More Drive-In Theaters in San Diego: Complete Illustrated History 1947 thru 2008
"Pussycat Theaters - When 'Cathouses Ruled California" -- for the first time, the detailed inside story of the west coast Pussycat Theater chain of adult moviehouses, which peaked in the '70s but later died out. Told by those who actually ran the theaters!
More Pussycat Theater History: When Cathouses Ruled CA
**************************************************** More Music on the Reader Website:
- As I Hear It
- Blurt
- Club Crawler
- Hometown CD Review
- Musician Interviews
- Of Note
- Overheard in San Diego
- Famous Former Neighbors
- Yo DJ!
- Musician Classified Ads
- Event Picks of the Week
- Rock Around the Town
- Submit an Event
- Events Home
- Today's Events
- Event Picks of the Week
- Events by Category
- Bands/Performers
- Create Your Band/Performer Page
- Music Downloads
- Radio Player
- Band Calendar
- Classical
- DJ/Dance
- Live Music
- Music Newsletter
- Submit a Music Listing
- Upload Your Music
Find a Band
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Like this blog? Here are some related links:
OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/
FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/
SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic
JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford
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San Diego Music Encyclopedia & Database Online Now
Press illo to play the Overheard song!
NEW COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL MUSIC DATABASE IS LAUNCHED
IT'S DONE!!!! And growing every hour....
If you wanna see a list of over 1,800 San Diego bands, with links to full profiles, photos, discographies, articles, MP3s, etc, checkout http://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/search/
Believe it or not, you can click on ANY LOCAL MUSICIAN'S NAME (around 4,800 musicos listed!) and bring up bios of every notable band they've ever been in! Try it here with Rob Crow ---
AND, if that wasn't cool 'nuff, click on an instrument, say like this here link to "Drums" - BAM, a list of EVERY DRUMMER IN SAN DIEGO!!!
We've been working on this massively cross-linked Local Music Database for over two years now, covering a century of San Diego history --- if you're a local performer who wants to add or edit a page, go to http://www.sandiegoreader.com/band/edit/
More soon!!!! JAS
HERE'S THE NEW Overheard in San Diego
ARCHIVE OF Famous Former Neighbors
WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HATING ON PATHOLOGY???
If you're into bands like Cattle Decapitation, the Locust, Megadeth, Entombed, Disgorge, or Cannibal Corpse, you'd probably like Pathology. Loud, dirty, metal, morbid imagery - not bad, nor special, but certainly not a band worth getting upset or worked up over.
Even considering the new press release announcing they've signed to Victory Records, which is written with such cheez and oblivious cluelessness that it practically cries out to be mocked. Which is what's happening, especially at www.blabbermouth.net ---
First, the press release, in italics - annotated in NON-italics are some of the reaction comments from site visitors (who are really into their metal).
San Diego, California-based death metal/grindcore band Pathology has inked a deal with Victory Records. Commented the group: "We have been working tirelessly at writing new music and are ecstatic to be putting our next album out through Victory."
posted by : crazytaco_12: Victory records f-cking sucks
"We would like to thank Tony and the Pathology team for their diligent efforts in bringing Pathology and Victory together. Most of all, we would like to thank the fans who've been there from day one to support us every step of the way. We are very excited and can't wait to release our yet-untitled 2010 album!"
posted by : X-Box: pure crap. Victory Records staff and trend jumpers
Pathology recently announced the addition of singer Pascual Romero (STRANGLED BY STRANGULATION, IN THIS MOMENT) to the group's ranks. According to the band, "Pascual is best known for being the vocalist of underground death metal band STRANGLED BY STRANGULATION as well as his tenure as the bass player for Century Media band IN THIS MOMENT. He brings years of writing, recording, and touring experience to the plate and we are very enthusiastic for what the future holds for us. He brought the presence and power that the band needed to reach the next plateau of true blasphemous death metal."
posted by : brutalcali23: What an utter joke. The new singers presence and power compared to Matti Way is laughable...Hell compared to Levi he is a joke. I saw them play in riverside and the drums on the cd are obviously edited because he can not even double bass properly or even play close to the cd. And the vocals wow, he has no power or presence at all. And the line about them touring across the states to spread there gospel in front of thousands of fans. I can barely type iam laughing so hard.
The band toured across the states on some self-booked tours and spread their gospel of filth to thousands of fans. The guttural bowl shaking vocals of Romero combined with Tim Tiszczenko's chainsaw guitar and Astor's lightening-fast blastbeats and breakdowns make for an earth shattering experience of pure, vomit inducing metal."
posted by : sinewayve: Why is thei news peice so full of bullsh-t? They have never "toured across the states" like it says in there! They've cancelled 10 times more than they have actually completed.why are they signed again?
posted by : brutalcali23: They have done like 5 f-cking shows for 3 full length cds. So obviously victory has never even seen them live. Just more proof of how gay a label is that signs a band and never sees them play live before hand. One thing is for certain this band with all its claims, lies and terrible live performances will always provide a good laugh. F-CK OFF pathology you guys could be the poster boys for the word posers. And with all the lies and false claims you guys make, well lets just say karma can be a bitch.
Pathology's latest album, Age of Onset was released in May via Comatose Music. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.
posted by : Punisher of Weaklings: This band f-cking sucks!... This band is total bullsh-t! Victory sucks hard.
Pathology was formed in the beginning of 2006 by Dave Astor (Being Killed, the Locust, Cattle Decapitation). The band's debut album, Surgically Hacked was released in September 2006 on Amputated Vein Records (Japan). In July 2007, Pathology signed with Grindhead Records (Australia) to release the band's crushing malpractice, Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery (2008).
posted by : sinewayve: This sh-t is incredibly boring and has zero to do with the locust, in this momnet or even cattle decap! And didn't cattle decap kick out the guy because he didn't want to tour? Boring ass stuff and like 10 years too late haha sounds like 6 feet under trying to play broken hope and failing. Another waste of time and money for victory records.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=131889
Wow! I guess some people really get worked up over Pathology, and over Victory Records. They DO go thru members - just this year, secondary singer Mason Gregory left the band, as did lead singer Matti Way in September, coming after the previous defection of singer/guitarist Levi Fuselier.
I just played a couple of Pathology songs off Surgically Hacked - certainly better than at least half of Megadeth's recorded output. Or Anthrax's, for that matter, and those are supposedly among the biggest, most successful metal acts ever ---
I wonder what Pathology/Victory have done to p-ss so many people off, just at the mention of their names????
Related links
- Pathology Reader page
- www.myspace.com/pathologydm
Trummerflora Presents Other Ideas
Sunday December 13th 7:00 pm - $5-10 sliding scale
The Kava Gallery - 2804 Kettner Blvd.
Toni Pope (drone, singing bowls) w/ Sam Lopez (treated guitars)
Eli Pechman (noise, noise and more noise)
Toni Pope is an amazing vocalist. Her voice reaches right through to your soul and gives it a little squeeze. She will be performing a spiritual journey utilizing her voice and singing bowls. Sam Lopez (aka one man band Zsa Zsa Gabor) will accompany her on damaged guitars. Imagine the soundtrack to Alejandro Jodorowsky's Holy Mountain mixed with the first Black Sabbath album.
Eli Pechman likes his noise loud. He builds effect pedals made for space aliens. His passion is destroying eardrums. This will not be pretty!
BELLY UP AND VIEJAS DITCH TICKETMASTER FOR GOOD! And that goes for the Belly Up in Aspen CO, too!
Front Gate Tickets, a leading provider of ticketing solutions for music festivals, venues, artists, and the Performing Arts, today announced its continued expansion into the San Diego market through its exclusive ticketing deals with Belly Up Tavern and Viejas Entertainment.
“Belly Up is very excited to partner with Front Gate Tickets,” said Belly Up owner Steve Goldberg. “The move to Front Gate is a win for us and the customer and better reflective of our vibe as the non-corporate approach to entertainment.”
The Austin-based Front Gate Tickets first established a presence in
“We are excited about our relationship with the Belly Up Tavern and Viejas Entertainment,” says Jeff Kreinik, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Front Gate Tickets. “These are two of the premiere venues in the
Front Gate Tickets ( www.frontgatetickets.com ), based in Austin, TX, is one of the largest independently owned ticketing agencies, with clients including San Diego Street Scene (San Diego, CA), Belly Up Aspen (Aspen, CO), The Long Center for the Performing Arts (Austin, TX), Warehouse Live (Houston, TX), and Boulder Theatre (Boulder, CO).
The company is owned by Front Gate Solutions ( www.frontgatesolutions.com ), a software development company.
Tickets: http://bellyupsolanabeach.frontgatesolutions.com
http://viejas.frontgatetickets.com
ADAM LAMBERT AND THE PANSY FIGHT
In the wake of Adam Lambert’s man-on-man TV smooch (and the subsequent boost - then drop - in his album sales), it’s easy to forget that many of the same hometown voters who supported him on American Idol also voted against legalized gay marriage. Pansy Division frontman Jon Ginoli reminds that his own band was practically run out of town by 11,000 gay-hating San Diegans, when they opened a Halloween show for Green Day.
“Mobs of young guys right down front were flipping us off,” he says in his book Deflowered: My Life in Pansy Division, an account of touring with one of the first openly gay rock bands.
“We hammed it up right away. Chris [Freeman, bassist] was shaking his -ss, saying ‘We’re big f-gs from San Francisco!’ Pandemonium. There was way too much going on at one time to see it all from the stage...People were giving us the finger and throwing objects at us.” The band reportedly only sold $164 worth of merchandise that night.
Pansy Division has since made
Ginoli’s book kicks off with quotes like “We’re the buttf-ckers of rock-and-roll,” and “We want to sock it to your hole!”
Sounds like a Pansy/Lambert co-headlining tour is something both acts should be able to get, um, behind.
Related links
- Bonus Blog: Adam Lambert on the AMAs
- Straight Eye for the Gay Guy
- Adam Lambert Copying Rihanna?
You can checkout Lambert's local Star 94.1 interview from December 3rd by clicking this link to AJ in the Mornings. While in town, he donated his American Idol Kiss outfit and did some press - best coverage can be found at Hotel Chatter:
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| HotelChatter |
HotelChatter
... at the American Music Awards (come on, Madge made out with Britney and Xtina at the vmas), but the Hard Rock San Diego is showing the singer some love...
MORE NEW MUSIC STORIES
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Kiss My Baby with My Fist by Jay Allen Sanford
“About a year ago, I decided I wanted to form a country band,” says Tim Raldo, best known for his confrontational and scatological stage antics fronting the punk band the Filthy Fuks. The Ramblin’ Outlaws are ... |
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Anberlin by Arianna Nevins
I started listening to Anberlin in 2005, when they weren’t that big. I found them through my crush’s MySpace. Since I wanted him to think I was cool, I started listening to them all the time. Soon, though, I actually ... |
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"Adam" by Michael David Lewis by Rosa Jurjevics
There seem to be a lot of layers to this song. How many instrumental tracks did you record? There are three guitar tracks recorded: basic strummed rhythm, a finger-picked track, and a lead track. The strumming ... |
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Rock and Roll Survivor by Dave Good
“Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp decided that because it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” says Laura Roppé, “they should have a spot for a breast cancer survivor, so they contacted the Keep A Breast foundation ... |
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Tape Deck Mountain by William Crain
On their website, you can watch a video of Tape Deck Mountain playing a cover of Danzig’s “Mother” that’s both inappropriate and perfectly right. These ... |
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'Round the World by Jay Allen Sanford
The Ambassador is the stage name of singer-guitarist Stephen Gabriel Lewis. “I adopted the title because of the passion I have for travel abroad,” he says, “and because of something my mother used to say to ... |
FOLK LEGEND TOM RUSH COMING TO AMSD - New Studio Album is His First in 35 Years
Revered singer-songwriter Tom Rush, whose first studio CD in more than three decades What I Know was released earlier this year, will be performing at AMSDConcerts in San Diego on Friday, January 8.
After he started his career in the mid-Sixties as a folk/blues singer and guitarist based in Boston/Cambridge, Tom helped meld folk and rock with his 1965 album, Take a Little Walk with Me. His next album, 1968's The Circle Game, was singled out by Rolling Stone as the record that ushered in the singer-songwriter era, since it presented songs by Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor before they had released any albums themselves.
The album also featured what has become Tom's best known and most covered original song, "No Regrets," a hit for other artists in multiple genres; even U2 quotes a verse or two from the song in some of their live shows.
Tom's last trip to the recording studio was for his 1974 album Ladies Love Outlaws, but since then he's been touring steadily and releasing occasional live albums. His relaxed, expressive baritone, accomplished guitar-playing, droll humor and infallible taste in writing and choosing material have made him a perennial favorite among folk-oriented music lovers.
A live YouTube clip of Rush performing the hilarious "Remember Song" has drawn more than 3.5 million hits, so he's reaching a wider audience than ever.
What I Know is "a deceptively informal, warm and engaging collection of acoustic songs from a variety of sources, Rush's steady pulse at the center of every one," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Friday, January 8, 2010 - San Diego, CA - AMSDConcerts, located at 4650 Mansfield Street. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50 for dinner seating and $25 for reserved seating. For more information, call 619-303-8176 or visit the www.AMSDConcerts.com website.
WEILAND'S YARD SALE - "BUY MY OLD CLOTHES!"
Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots will offer the public a rare glimpse into his personal life next week as he auctions off a variety of clothing and personal affects to benefit his ArchAngel Organization. Weiland formed ArchAngel when his brother, Michael Weiland, passed away in early 2007 after a long struggle with addiction. Proceeds from the auction will be given to Michael Weiland's widow and two children.
According to Weiland: "The overall idea is to grow this into something more, while still helping my brother's family, and to also reach out and help families who are or have recently been through the same painful and seemingly hopeless situation. For now however, this is what we can and what we are able to do. Have fun with it and know that 100% of the profits are going to help my sister in-law and my nieces Sophie and Claudette."
Items being auctioned off include a guitar signed by Stone Temple Pilots, designer suits and denim, and clothes worn on stage, at awards shows, on tour and at various other public engagements. Other items include Scott's casual attire, clothes he wears around the house as well as some "crud" Scott had at his house or studio. Most items are signed by Scott Weiland. New items will also be added periodically. Auctions will last two weeks and all items will have inexpensive starting prices.
The ArchAngel auction site can be accessed through - http://www.SoftdriveRecords.com/archangel
Related links
Vinyl Records Are Gaining Sales
Sales of vinyl albums have been climbing steadily for several years, tromping on the notion that the rebound was just a fad. Through late November, more than 2.1 million vinyl records had been sold in 2009, an increase of more than 35% in a year, according to Nielsen Soundscan. That total, though it represents less than 1% of all album sales, including CDs and digital downloads, is the highest for vinyl records in any year since Nielsen began tracking them in 1991.
Click here for more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/nyregion/07vinyl.html?em
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| Prefixmag |
San Diego Filmmaker Plans Blink-182 Biopic, Ignores Universal Disinterest
Prefixmag
Daniel Flores, a San Diego-based filmmaker, says he plans to make a biopic on the early days of Blink-182. Apparently, Flores saw the skateboard film...
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| New York Magazine |
New York Magazine
So serious, in fact, that the San Diego native has written a movie about the band's early days, from its founding by Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and original ...
TODAY'S "WHAT THE F-CK" ALBUM COVER
Judging by how these horny trumpets have huge erections, something's gonna pop, all right...
I frankly don't know WHAT's inside this duo, but I think the guy on the right is shooting dope into his neck with a hypodermic needle!
"A new concept of music, created by sonic vibrations" - too bad the cover looks like a cartoon took a dump on it --- I AM kinda curious about that tune "Twilight Ozone," tho ----
Wow, whoever named this album could see its future!!!
And you thought rappers loved stupid-looking "bling" - how "sophisticated" could this funkmeister have been, if the best chastity belt he could come up with was two elbow patches and a cheap hotel lock?
"How'd you like a little taste of Devil's Food, baby?"
The Monkees really haven't aged well.
"Attention all angels - God has issued an All Points Bulletin for Chip Douglas from My Three Sons" --- what's with the dude about to shoot an unarmed man in the back?? "God HATES hippies, dammit"....
The true WTF here isn't the greasy suit or villainous 'stache - it's the tiny flagpoles with full-size flags that make him even more MONDO midget...
Played by "Mr. Bones and his Troupe" - uh, maybe he was actually dressed up as a wolfman???
Ahhhh, love at first fight.....
Not JUST a spy - a HIPPY spy! A SUPER hippy!!"Spy Guy with the Glass Eye"
Yep, that's one big dame! WTF is with the arrows sticking out of the safari hat?! Who's hunting who out there?
In low-fi, all you get is a slight buzz...note one guy is humping the coach, there's a dead lady behind the sofa, and the guy on the far left has his headphones HOOKED UP TO A GIRL'S ASS!
PREVIOUS WTFs - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/dec/10/wtf-album-covers---strange-bizarre-and-butt-clench/
CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET
Thursday 12/10 - The Happy Hour Acoustic Jam at Winston's continues to be the place to hang out after work for drink specials, nice peeps and great acoustic music. 5:00 open!, 5:30 Conner Cecil, 6:00 Three Degrees off Center, 7:00 The Big Winners - NO COVER!
Artist of the Week: Two Dollar Taco make their Listen Local debut this Wednesday night at 9:30 at STAGE located downtown at 5th and F. NO COVER!
Saturday December 12th at 2pm - Regina Leonard is throwing a party at Humphrey's to raise money for 2 crisis houses in San Diego. The show will feature her 9-piece band tons of great acts including Robin Henkel, Dave Humphries, Sara Petite, Chuck Schiele, Charlie Imes, and Cathryn Beeks and the Ordeal, plus raffle prizes and good times. $8 cover goes to help those who need it.
The Monthly Series Voices at Onyx Room happens Saturday Dec. 12th at 8pm and will feature pop rock band Dynamite Walls and hip-hop/rock fusion act After School Special. There will be video projection from Ben Norton, live painting from Billy Martinez, massages from Fielding, deejay spins from Cris Herrera, and lots more. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. Attendees will also have complete access to Onyx’s upstairs dance party at Thin.
Thursday December 17th - Katie and I are turning the Winston's Happy Hour show into a "Music Lovers to the Rescue!" event where we'll collect canned goods and donations for The San Diego Rescue Mission. Join us for great music, drinks specials, raffles and other surprises. 5pm to 8pm, no cover but anything you can donate goes to the Mission.
The Acoustic Alliance goes down on Sunday December 20th at 6pm at Brick by Brick and will feature a dozen amazing songwriters, plus intermission entertainment by Scott Wilson's band. This is a quiet, candle lit show and your opportunity to hear 12 artists perform their best 3 songs in the round. 21+ $8 admission, Acoustic Alliance Alumni get in free. The first 4 people who arrive at Winston's this Thursday for Happy Hour get a free ticket... no pushing! See who's playing!
Local music makes a great gift! Visit your favorite artist's websites this month and order their CDs for your family and friends. Want to support Listen Local? Purchase a gift basket containing a copy of The ListenLocalsd.com Cookbook Vol. 1, Mood Swing, Desert Music, plus a few surprises all for only $35.00 including shipping.
A few CD Release dates to mark in your calendar: Steph Johnson at Swedenborg Hall on January 2nd and Astra Kelly at The Beauty Bar on January 23rd
One of San Diego's (if not THE) best horn players, Chris Klich, wants to let folks know that his December schedule has a few holes in it and he's available for gigs. Contact Chris at [email protected] http://www.chrisklich.com (619) 462-8048, (619) 504-8940 cell, Adjunct Professor of Music, Grossmont College
Are you listening? Join me every Saturday night at 9pm for the Homegrown Show on 102.1 KPRIfm. Send me your music!
YELLOW SUBMARINE CAR COMING TO SAN DIEGO DECEMBER 13TH THRU 19TH
"I'm attending a weeklong seminar at the downtown Hyatt," emails Yellow Submarine car owner Gary Coover, "and I'm driving the YS from Fayetteville, AR, especially since there is an art car event in Albuquerque the weekend before. It's been all over the U.S., but not yet to California."
"I'll be in San Diego from Dec 13 through19, and then afterwards to L.A., Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, and various points in between."
Here's a couple more photos - that's Louise Harrison (George's sister) giving the car an official thumbs up!
TONY HAWK'S RIDE MUSIC
Antimusic.com reports: Check out the track list for the Tony Hawk: RIDE video game, which has just hit North American retail shelves. The game, which has a long standing tradition of groundbreaking soundtracks, features more than 50 eclectic tracks.
Ranging from popular anthems from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT and Green Day to new rising artists Band of Skulls and The Temper Trap, the game also weaves through the grooves of The Commodores and The Meters into the high energy of The Stooges and The Replacements in a diverse yet seamless collection of upbeat tunes.
Tony Hawk: RIDE takes the popular action sports franchise in a new direction. The game features a groundbreaking wireless skateboard controller that was designed in conjunction with the game. Using a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors, the intuitive controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. Without complex button combinations or analog sticks, gamers of various skill levels can literally step on the board and play. - full tracklisting
Secret History of Chicago Music: Chuck and Mary Perrin (Dizzy's)
Shipping in Autumn 2010 from Bluewater Productions
ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS - The Led Zeppelin Experience:
The Led Zeppelin saga is one of the wildest in rock history, and this graphic novel pulls no punches in dramatizing the backstage, behind-the-scenes story. From their early days as the New Yardbirds on through their rise to superstardom (and controversy), all five issues of the original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics series are collected in one rockin’ volume, with art by Scott Pentzer (Razor), Marshall Ross (Deepest Dimension), David Neer (Sports Superstars), Francois Escalmel (Frank Zappa: Viva La Bizarre), and others. The collection also includes update material, bringing the saga up to 2010.
UNSILENT NIGHT - DECEMBER 19TH
New York composer Phil Kline created Unsilent Night as an electronic music caroling party, and for the past 17 years it has been an annual event in downtown Manhattan, making it a new music holiday classic. Now in its 8th year, it will be performed in the streets of San Diego in downtown's Gaslamp Quarter.
Unsilent Night is an audience participation work, an outdoor ambient music piece for an INFINITE number of boom box players. It's like a Christmas caroling party except that we don't sing, but rather carry boom boxes, each playing a separate tape or cd which is part of the piece.
In effect, we become a city block long stereo system! Performances in New York have been using hundreds of participants. The more people that are involved, the more joyous a sound we can create.
The performance will be on Saturday, December 19th. We will meet at the Gaslamp Trolley Station at 5th and Harbor at 6:40pm, and starting at 7:00pm walk through the streets of San Diego's Gaslamp up to Horton Plaza. The whole walk takes about 40 minutes.
The more people that are involved the more beautiful and festive it will be! Phil Kline's ambient soundscape becomes more magical and unpredictable with more tapes being played, filling the air and seeming to come from all directions at once.
All you need to join in the sound is a portable tape, CD or mp3 player with fresh batteries, and we will provide you with a copy of the music. Just send us an email so we can know how many copies to bring. If you don't have a boom box you are still welcome to join the procession and just enjoy the music. Unsilent Night is also kid-friendly, so bring the whole family!
If you would like to take part in Unsilent Night on December 19th contact Ellen Weller at 619-263-8002 or [email protected] and please let us know how many of you would like to participate, and what kind of media player you are bringing. Parking is very limited so we suggest you take the bus or trolley.
Related links
- www.unsilentnight.com
- www.myspace.com/unsilentnight
- www.trummerflora.com/
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| New York Times |
Pulsing With Eclec-tricity in San Diego
New York Times
A diverse mix of businesses has put a lot of the zip back in the North Park area of San Diego. By JAMIE BRISICK FOR years, 30th Street at University Avenue ...
ASTRA KELLY TOUR DIARY
December 6, 2009: Well, we're midway thru our tour and having a blast. So far, only 2 run ins with the police, one lost piece of gear, and 1 RV accident (actually we were just sitting still and some woman in a mini van hit us).
We've seen some old friends, made a ton of new friends, danced to some great bands, are 3/4 of the way thru our case of 2 buck chuck, haven't even made a dent in the Tequila yet (the Jameson is another story), the cupboards are still full and the despite the freeze of the north, we are staying warm and toasty.
We drove 11 hours yesterday to get
Thanx to all of you who have come out to the shows and maybe even let us shower at your place.
We are uploading photos daily to my Facebook page and you can visit our blog here, www.astrakelly.blogspot.com
MASQUERADE: NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION OF CULTURE IN NORTH PARK
Birch North Park Theatre & West Coast Tavern to host exhilarating bash featuring performances from Delta Spirit, Get Back Loretta, The Burning of Rome, Caburlesque Kittens, and more
Co-producers West Coast Club Life and Jon Block will bring Masquerade: New Year’s Eve Celebration to adjoining venues Birch North Park Theatre and West Coast Tavern on December 31, 2009, bringing an enormous array of music, fashion, and culture to a town that’s emerged as the arts capital of San Diego.
Masquerade will feature six unique performances including Delta Spirit, hometown heroes who've played top music festivals Lollapalooza and Street Scene; three-time San Diego Music Award winners Get Back Loretta; the always unpredictable The Burning of Rome; the Billie Holiday-influenced The Hot Moon; and 12-woman burlesque troupe Caburlesque Kittens. Attendees will also experience five deejays including DJ TheoryJean, DJ Dennis J, and DJ Kray-Z-K as well as models, video projections, and art sculptures, all driven by the masquerade theme.
“We’re working very hard to create an event different from the traditional club-style of San Diego NYE partying,” said co-producer Jon Block. “The Verant Group have been wonderful venue owners and collaborators to this end, allowing us free reign to book our favorite artists and make this into something classy but with also just the right amount of craziness.”
Birch North Park Theatre has become a particularly hot commodity in 2009, hosting shows from San Diego music godfather Tim Mays as well as Southern Comfort with their breathtaking Ghostland Observatory concert this past August.
Doors to Masquerade: New Year’s Eve Celebration will open at 7:00 pm and the event will run until 2:00 am. Attendees must be at least 21 years old; alcohol will be permitted in all areas. The first 200 attendees will receive a stylized mask and Yelp bag. Tickets can be purchased at www.westcoastclublife.com
WHAT I'M WATCHINGWONDERWALL (1968) – “LOST” PSYCHEDELIC CLASSIC WITH MUSIC BY GEORGE HARRISON, RINGO STAR, PETER TORK, ERIC CLAPTON, AND MORE
Tonight, I watched the epically wonky 1968 Wonderwall movie DVD, with music by George Harrison and psychedelic visual design by The Fool, that group of acidhead techno artists who painted the Apple office building in the '60s and had much to do with the latterday Beatles imagery (I wonder if Magic Alex ever perfected his magic box?).
The movie is so freakish, it's almost impossible to absorb - as an artifact of the 60s and hippiedom, and an example of some of the first Beatles "solo" music, it was well worth watching, and probably worth the high price that the limited edition U.S. region DVD sells for (I got a "bargain" on eBay at $30 - I've seen it sell for $75 and up).
It's hardly a "movie," at least by the normal definition. Worth noting is that the director is the same guy who later did the fantasy sequences in the Led Zep concert movie The Song Remains the Same. If you liked that movie's werewolves with tommy guns spurting psychedelic blood, you'd dig Wonderwall.
The first thing that comes to mind, a few minutes after finishing the film, is "This must be what it's like to do peyote, throw up, and then spend two hours staring at your vomit and marveling at how wondrous and beautiful your former lunch now looks...."
The music is by George Harrison, whose Wonderwall solo album has some but not all of the music heard in the movie (it was the first Beatles solo album, AND the first Apple album). For the rock songs, Harrison hired Liverpool band the Remo Four, as well as bringing in Ringo Star, Eric Clapton, and Peter Tork (playing one of Paul McCartney’s banjos).
The Indian sitar music heard in the film was recorded in January 1968, during the same Beatles sessions - and using the same musicians – that resulted in the Beatles’ song “The Inner Light,” originally issued as the B-side of "Lady Madonna."
Wonderwall the movie was only shown a few times in the late ‘60s, and was considered a “lost” film until a good print was found and restored, along with an unreleased Harrison song intended for the original 1968 soundtrack, “In The First Place,” one of the only Wonderwall songs with lyrics (proceeds from a single of the song helped pay for cancer treatments for one of the musicians from the Remo Four).
As near as I can figure it, here’s what the movie is about:
An aging nutty professor and OCD paper hoarder finds a peephole in his cluttered apartment that glows like starlight (set within a wall mural painting of a crowned goddess in the sky) -
When he looks thru the hole, he sees an otherworldly beautiful oft-nekkid young woman named Penny Lane (played by lovely blank-faced cipher Jane Birkin, who was equally blank in Antonioni's equally obtuse movie Blow-Up).
One one side of the wall, the Old Prof's side, it’s just another day, the barber shaves another customer, the banker looking in --- He peeps most often at an ongoing idyllic Dionysian hippie party jam, with flute-playing flower children and beautiful dancing gypsies (with almost EVERYone smoking something, either ciggies or ??). The smoking in various other wonderworlds ranges from small glass pipes to Chong-sized roaches and giant octopus hookahs – The Old Prof becomes so obsessed that, for awhile, he seems to stop shaving or sleeping or doing anything else aside from peeping. Sorta presaging the advent of 500-channel TV feeds, it could be said --- So as the Old Prof is peeping at the dreamy hippie otherworlds, he starts dressing up in what an unschooled old man might approximate as "psychedelic" circa 1968, ie a pointy New Year's party hat, or a funky outsized tuxedo, and decorating his apartment - especially the "wonderwall" itself - with streamers and party favors. When he strays too far from the wall - like when he goes to work at the lab one day, if only to study up on alternate realities and gaze lovingly at Penny Lane thru his microscope (?!)- he suddenly becomes black and white. As does the world around him. Only the wonderwall can color his world.... At some point, one of the wonderwall visions appears to actually be the adjoining room of a young hippie couple - or is it? Everything on the Other Side is just a colorful and halucinogenic as his other visions. However, when he gets to Her World, the hippie girl's psychedelic-flavored life isn't idyllic as it seemed. She is unmarried and has just discovered she's pregnant, and her hippie boyfriend is being a big hippie dick about it. So - while the Old Prof hides in her psychedelic closet - the hippie girl (real or fantasy?) chokes down a bunch of pills, cries, and is carried out on a stretcher. Flash to a newspaper headline: "Scientist Saves Fashion Model - Top Hat Riddle in The next time he sees WTF? The DVD also includes footage cut to Eric Clapton’s playing, stills of artwork by the various Fool’s who designed the psychedelia, footage cut to a Remo Four track, and other ephemeral perks. So, in summation – glad I watched it. Glad it was restored, especially the sonically engaging soundtrack, and glad it came out on DVD. Also glad the hippies – and I’ll probably never have occasion to spin this inexplicable tripfest again, unless under the influence of the Old Prof’s suspect sugercubes, but I’m glad I finally got to checkout this funky flashback, 40 years after it first came and went ------ (Wonderwall in Wikipedia - animated gifs courtesy the fantastic blog of Martin Klasch ) On the OTHER side of the peephole, it's the 24-hour freakout channel, with freakout music kicking in every time the old man peeps at the fetishistic nylon leg shows and Hefner-fueled/acid-soaked visions of a Wild and Wonky World According To Playboy. Within Without You.Opening more peepholes seems to open more worlds – or are these just the Old Prof’s daydreams? In one trippy vision, the old Prof improbably sees himself, outdoors, battling a teenage Superman with "weapons" like giant ciggies and lipstick tubes. Or at an effeminate cowboy riding a plastic rocking horse and talking on the phone, or a hippie mermaid chick floating on a sea of polyester fabric while brushing her hair, or a Perplexing Planet of Preposterous Sunglasses.Amusingly, the Old Prof himself, in his world, is proudly a non-smoker --- tho one wonders about how lab-customized his beloved sugar cubes may be, given his increasingly bizarre visions thru the Wonderwall.When he realizes he's fallen in love with the young girl - or at least with her magical hippie wonderland - he manages to find a magic (Alex) doorway and dramatically leap into her world, apparently by dressing as a top-hat magician and fondling his magic wand (don't ask....) –
NEW DAY MILE LAND A SONG IN GAMER MOVIE SOUNDTRACK
2009 San Diego Music Award Nominees New Day Mile will appear on the Gamer movie DVD scheduled for release next year on January 19th.
The story of Gamer is based around Kable (Gerard Butler) who was taken from his family, imprisoned, and forced to fight against his will in a first-person shooter game called “Slayers.” Kable becomes a hero as a modern-day gladiator fighting to victory led by the teenaged gamer (Logan Lerman) who controls him.
Kable’s wife (Amber Valletta) has her own problems while trapped in another game called “Society.” Slayers was created by an egomaniacal billionaire (Michael C. Hall) who enables audiences to execute violent fantasies in front of a global audience using mind-controlled real prisoners as avatars. A rebel group called “Humanz” sees the games as a threat to humanity.
The song “Between The Guns” from New Day Mile’s sophomore release Damn Strate will appear on the DVD. Damn Strate was recorded at Stratesound Studios in Santee, CA with acclaimed Engineer Alan Sanderson notable for his work with Elvis Costello and The Rolling Stones.
“Between The Guns” can be streamed at www.myspace.com/newdaymile or downloaded for free at www.newdaymile.com
According to this prog rock trio, "The name New Day Mile is derived from a song lyric, and it symbolizes new chances and opportunities for everyday we're alive."
Born and raised in New Jersey, James Brady took guitar lessons from local guitar virtuoso Dave DiPietro. DiPietro's student roster included Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) and Dave "The Snake" Sabo (Skid Row). Brady's other San Diego bands have included Juiced and Crown 10.
Frank Dolan, a native of Ireland, has worked with Larry Mitchell, Fiction, and Fighting Iris. He co-wrote the Rhythm Knowledge drum instruction series with Berklee instructor and Pearl/Zildjian clinician Mike Mangini.
Bassist Jason Sikora joined in 2007, replaced two years later by Dave Garcia.
Related links
- Blurt: "Cyber Skullduggery" (May 20, 2009)
- Blurt: "Strange Stage Moments"
San Diegans on Saturday Night Live?
(By Bart Mendoza) Ever wonder what San Diego-related music artists have appeared to date on Saturday Night Live ?? Here ya go, with artist / host:
02/21/76 Desi Arnaz
12/11/76 Frank Zappa / Candice Bergen
04/09/77 Tom Waits / Julian Bond
03/11/78 Stephen Bishop / Art Garfunkel
10/11/78 Frank Zappa
04/11/92
11/20/93 Stone
04/16/94
05/10/97 Jewel / John Goodman
11/14/98 Jewel / Joan Allen
01/08/00 Blink 182 / Jamie Foxx
04/20/02 POD / Alec Baldwin
04/15/02
10/04/08 The Killers (w/ Ray Suen) / Anne Hathaway
01/31/09 Jason Mraz / Steve Martin
DINOSAUR JR. REVIEWS SAN DIEGO AND THE BELLY UP - Lou Barlow's Tour Diary 11-4-09
Solana Beach, CA 11/4
Solana Beach is just north of San Diego. Our day begins in San Diego at a radio station. Dinosaur Jr is meant to do an acoustic session. So Tim and Noel have schlepped one of my bass amps and one of J’s to the tiny broadcast booth.
We are greeted by the DJ, who immediately and forcefully entices us with offers of free strings and guitar pedals. As he is mentioning all of the amazing free things he gets, I realize that I will be getting none of it. Do I ask for his number and then pester him over the next few weeks for his friend at insert-company-name’s number? Do I have “my people” contact him? I have no idea.
As confusing as that is, the performance and interview go well. The DJ is a pro. The best part, however, is J’s resistance:
DJ: Would you like to do another song?
J: Of course not.
Something about San Diego and its skate culture seems driven by a devotion to promotion. I find it bewildering. As the skate guys get older their long shorts, XL logo tees and baseball caps make them look like gigantic 7-year-olds.
As plugged in to that scene as Dino Jr are, I am alienated by it. Every time I sign a skateboard, I feel like a fraud.
Our friend O, photographer/musician, greets us at the radio station. I don’t know how he does it, but he is there wherever and whenever we roll into town. There may be two or three identical O’s in San Diego He is the most mysterious, down-to-earth person I have ever met. He seems to have superpowers, a knowledge of all amplifiers, recording gear and food. It’s always great to see him.
Off to the club, a fancy place, usually host to international blues acts and non-punk
fare. It’s the sister club to the Belly Up in Aspen. Aspen: the rich person’s playground. There is definitely an aspect of that here: seating on the sides, lots of wood. I guess we’ve moved up from the Casbah (the cozy punk-rock bar that has hosted 95% of my visits to S.D.). I’m ambivalent about that, but equally happy to have a new neighborhood to explore. There’s an antique mall across the street. I buy a vintage Preskool Little People school bus for $26. I want my kids to have the Little People experience. I buy Noel (our long suffering sound engineer) a Bruce Springsteen 7" (the Boss has been a theme on this tour). He’s been doing sound for Dino AND my band for a month.
Everyone’s got it easy compared to Noel: under fire every night, 36 speakers shooting knives, the audience screaming at him, "More vocals!: It’s a damn shame what we put that man through. He seems pleased when I hand him the single. There’s a version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town’” on the b-side.
The show goes smoothly. I’m happy to say that I am not nervous about playing L.A. tomorrow. The oft-dreaded hometown gig. Plus, Tom’s girlfriend is driving us home tonight. I’ll be back in my house by 3 a.m.!
(From Lou Barlow and Dinosaur Jr. Tour Diary - Tempe/Solana Beach - 11/3-4/09 - Paste Magazine )
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Mo 11/30: Tom Hanks, Weezer, a Top 10 list presented by Chad Ochocinco (R 10/29/09) Mo 11/30: Bill Maher, Adam Carolla THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Mo 11/30: William Shatner, AnnaLynne McCord, a performance by the cast of "Mary Poppins" Mo 11/30: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Death Cab for Cutie (R 11/20/09) LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON, CBS Mo 11/30: Michael Sheen LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON, NBC Mo 11/30: Artie Lange, Olivia Munn, David Chang (R 10/27/09) LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY, NBC Mo 11/30: Joss Stone, Bat For Lashes (R 10/8/09) Mo 11/30: Viggo Mortensen THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central Mo 11/30: Maziar Bahari THE COLBERT REPORT, Comedy Central Mo 11/30: Dan Esty, Cevin Soling Mo 11/30: Kathy Griffin, Jo Koy, Jen Kirkman, Josh Wolf Mo 11/30: Joanna Krupa, Katey Sagal, David Guetta featuring Akon Mo 11/30: Deepak Chopra LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY, syndicated Mo 11/30: Matt Dillon, Ashley Greene, Miranda Cosgrove, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, syndicated Mo 11/30: Vince Vaughn, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson (R 10/12/09) THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW, syndicated Mo 11/30: Kris Allen, Adam Carolla, Michael Sheen
Tu 12/1: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Guy Fieri, Carrie Underwood, a Top 10 list presented by NYC marathon winner Meb Keflezighi (R 11/2/09)
We 12/2: Kid Scientists, Amanda Peet, the Cribs (R 11/12/09)
Th 12/3: Tina Fey, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, Mika (R 10/14/09)
Fr 12/4: Al Gore, Brad Paisley, a Top 10 list presented by Michael Buble (R 11/3/09)
Mo 12/7: Ray Romano, Anna Kendrick
Tu 12/8: Barbara Walters, Blakroc
We 12/9: Rachel Weisz, pet massage expert Maryjean Ballner, Rob Thomas
Th 12/10: Kate Hudson, Dr. James Hansen, Tori Amos
Fr 12/11: Kyra Sedgwick, Brian Scott McFadden, Joe Perry
Mo 12/14: Hugh Grant, Zoe Saldana, Alicia Keys
Tu 12/1: Pre-empted
We 12/2: Dane Cook, Kim Kardashian
Th 12/3: Morgan Freeman, Maxwell
Fr 12/4: Kelsey Grammer, Taylor Swift
Tu 12/1: Tobey Maguire, Chris Colfer, Rickie Lee Jones
We 12/2: Jenny McCarthy, Gabriel Iglesias
Th 12/3: Rachel McAdams, Billy Connolly, Rod Stewart
Fr 12/4: TBA
Mo 12/7: Howie Mandel, Michael McDonald
Tu 12/8: Josh Brolin, Chad Daniels
We 12/9: Snoop Dogg, Carl Reiner
Th 12/10: The winner of "Top Chef", 30 Seconds To Mars
Fr 12/11: Zach Braff, Bear Grylls, Tony Bennett
Tu 12/1: Magic Johnson, Kellan Lutz
We 12/2: Matt Dillon, Nikki Reed, Baby featuring Jay Sean
Th 12/3: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashley Greene, Honor Society
Fr 12/4: Don Rickles, Anika Noni Rose, Band of Skulls
Mo 12/7: Rerun TBA
Tu 12/8: Pee-wee Herman, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito & Marlon Jackson, Passion Pit
We 12/9: William Shatner, Michael Strahan, animal trainer Kristin McMillan
Th 12/10: TBA
Fr 12/11: Ray Romano, Kim Kardashian, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Tu 12/1: Joel McHale, the Swell Season
We 12/2: Paul Shaffer, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Th 12/3: George Lopez
Fr 12/4: Emily Blunt
Mo 12/7: Wayne Newton, Shirley Manson
Tu 12/8: Michael Clarke Duncan, Gillian Jacobs
We 12/9: Morgan Freeman, Overtone
Th 12/10: Howie Mandel, Paula Marshall
Fr 12/11: Jim Parsons, They Might Be Giants
Tu 12/1: Kristen Stewart, Jamie Kennedy, the Avett Brothers (R 11/18/09)
We 12/2: Taylor Lautner, Katey Sagal, Obits (R 11/19/09)
Th 12/3: Robin Williams, Rashida Jones (R 11/26/09)
Fr 12/4: January Jones, Troy Polamalu, Jeff Musial and animals, Wale (R 11/10/09)
Tu 12/1: Glenn Howerton, Chad Hedrick, Cold War Kids (R 10/9/09)
We 12/2: Chris Kattan, Nuttin But Stringz, Lily Allen (R 10/13/09)
Th 12/3: Charlie Hunnam, Erin Hamlin, Phoenix (R 10/14/09)
Fr 12/4: Mike Rowe, Alissa Geving, Keane (R 10/15/09)
Mo 12/7: Jared Leto, Debbie McCormick, Quinn Dahle (R 11/11/09)
Tu 12/8: David Duchovny
We 12/9: Olivia Munn
Tu 12/1: Ali Eteraz, Angie Stone
We 12/2: Amy Goodman, Jason Schwartzman
Th 12/3: Malcolm Gladwell, Robin D.G. Kelley
Fr 12/4: Dr. Ruth Simmons
Tu 12/1: Thomas Friedman
We 12/2: Lance Armstrong
Th 12/3: Michael Specter
Tu 12/1: Guy Consolmagno, Sherman Alexie
We 12/2: Craig Watkins
Th 12/3: Sec. Janet Napolitano
Tu 12/1: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bill Gardell, Heather McDonald, Chris Hardwick
We 12/2: Jenny McCarthy, John Caparulo, Dan Levy, Natasha Leggero
Th 12/3: Ross Mathews, Chris Franjola, Christina Pazsitzky
Fr 12/4: Ryan Kwanten, Guy Branum, Sarah Colonna, Wil Anderson (R 11/24/09)
Tu 12/1: Jessica Alba, Columbus Short, the Bravery
We 12/2: Taye Diggs, Kaley Cuoco
Th 12/3: Laurence Fishburne, Los Lobos
Mo 12/7: Kathy Griffin, Rico Rodriguez
Tu 12/8: Clint Eastwood, Jane Lynch
We 12/9: Morrissey
Th 12/10: Hilary Duff, Scott Bakula
Tu 12/1: Rod Stewart, Steven Seagal
We 12/2: Kristin Chenoweth, Perez Hilton, Andrea Bocelli & David Foster
Th 12/3: Queen Latifah, Mike Huckabee
Fr 12/4: Portia de Rossi, Emily VanCamp
Mo 12/7: Kyra Sedgwick, Dr. Mehmet Oz
Tu 12/8: Jenny McCarthy, Rita Wilson, Boys Like Girls
We 12/9: Julianne Moore, Aretha Franklin
Th 12/10: Anika Noni Rose
Tu 12/1: Cheryl Hines, guest co-host Howie Mandel
We 12/2: Morgan Freeman, Lance Armstrong, guest co-host Michael Buble
Th 12/3: Meg Ryan, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito & Marlon Jackson, guest co-host Anderson Cooper
Fr 12/4: Kate Beckinsale, Sting, guest co-host Christian Slater
Mo 12/7: Ray Romano, John Lithgow
Tu 12/8: guest co-host Bryant Gumbel, Terrence Howard, Julianne Hough
We 12/9: Catherine Zeta Jones, the winner of "The Biggest Loser", guest co-host Jeff Probst
Th 12/10: Mariah Carey, Billy Ray Cyrus, guest co-host Jeff Probst
Fr 12/11: Kate Hudson, guest co-host Jeff Probst
Tu 12/1: Adam Lambert, Marisa Miller
We 12/2: Matt Dillon, Ashley Greene
Th 12/3: Tobey Maguire, a performance from Cirque du Soleil's "Kooza"
Fr 12/4: Zach Braff, Allison Iraheta
Mo 12/7: Minnie Driver, Rihanna
Tu 12/8: Clint Eastwood, Overtone
We 12/9: Howie Mandel
Th 12/10: Steve Harvey, Mindy Kaling
Fr 12/11: Selena Gomez & the Scene
Tu 12/1: Sea Wolf
We 12/2: Jimmie Johnson, Kellan Lutz, Anya Marina
Th 12/3: Seth Green, Nikki Reed
Fr 12/4: Ashley Greene, David Zinczenko, Jay Sean
NEW MUSIC NIGHT - JUMP & JIVE
The "Burrito Brothers" are Action Andy (Haunted Honky Tonkers, Sleepwalkers), along with Victor Penalosa (the Zeros, the Fuzztones, the Records, the Melanies). Penalosa is currently recording a new album with Mike Kamoo...
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Here are some articles local music and technology fans might be interested in - click any title link for more:
Is Facebook Getting Uncool for 18-24s?
According to comScore, as it has gained a broader audience, the older teens and twentysomethings that drove Facebook's initial popularity are using it less. And research by WPP Group's Mindshare suggests that group is reevaluating the site's worth as a tool for developing friendships.
Herd It's New Take on Music Apps - Online music apps are all over the place these days. It seems like Facebook has a zillion of 'em. But Herd It, a new casual music game/music discovery tool developed by a team of students at the University of California, San Diego, is unique
The Night Marchers -- Review of the Night Marchers at the Fillmore: To begin the review, I'll say I truly despised the first act of the night, the Night Marchers. Their 3 chord/1 riff "rock and roll" was lame and truly fell short in light of the show's overall expectations. The best way I can describe it: Everyone has that one uncle, right? The middle-aged guy who listened to too many Beach Boys records when he was 20...
Study On Online Music Piracy And Purchasing Habits
There has been high-profile debate in the media about whether file-sharing has a positive or negative impact on music sales. The study below, which is original text from Jupiter Research, analyses in more detail the different spend of file-sharers, digital and physical music purchasers.
Despite Economic Woes, Consumers Not Scrimping On Entertainment Subscriptions
According to the latest update to the “Entertainment Trends in America” consumer tracking studies conducted by The NPD Group, even as newspapers and other traditional forms of subscriptions have declined, most forms of entertainment-content subscriptions have been maintained by U.S. consumers this year, and mobile data plans and other newer kinds of subscription services have expanded their customer bases. Overall monthly per-capita entertainment-content subscription spending rose to $115, which is an increase of nearly 7% since last year.
E-Readers Will Take Off For Holiday Shoppers In 2010
2009 is likely to be remembered as a watershed year in the evolution of e-books and e-readers with several milestones and product launches standing out as catalysts for change in the market, according to Gartner, Inc. However, Gartner said that while the number of electronic readers sold is likely to increase in 2009, it expects 2010 to be the year when e-book readers really become popular consumer electronic devices, culminating in e-reader “mania” for the 2010 holiday season.
Like, Totally Wired
According to findings from Alloy Media + Marketing's 9th annual College Explorer Survey, projected annual technology spending among college students (ages 18-30) has reached an all time high at $6.5 billion, ranking 3rd in overall discretionary spending for college students, just below food and auto.
Monetizing Mobile Content
The long debate over how to monetize digital content has gained new life in the economic downturn due to the slumping ad market. The question of paid models versus ad support is particularly urgent in the fast-emerging mobile space. eMarketer predicts that by 2013, nearly 50% of mobile phone users will access the mobile Internet at least monthly.
In Tough Times, 10 Ways Retailers Can Bring Holiday Cheer
While beleaguered shoppers will be looking for ways to make the season bright, retailers can do their part by bringing some much needed holiday cheer to the shopping experience.
"Friending" Brands Egocentric, Finds Razorfish
Have social marketers been kidding themselves that consumers “friend” brands on social media because they are passionate and want deep and meaningful relationships? Recent data suggests that perhaps all consumers really want from brands on social media is a good deal and great customer service.
Coupon Use Continues Resurgence
Consumers have re-embraced coupons as a way to get more for their money. In the third quarter, year-to-date coupon redemption was up 26% to 2.4 billion redemptions, making it the fourth consecutive quarter of growth, according to new research from Inmar in collaboration with The Nielsen Company.
Illegal File-Sharing Has An Overwhelmingly Negative Impact On Music Sales
Demos, the UK political think-tank, has released a widely-reported survey on music downloading which may be misinterpreted as suggesting that illegal file-sharing stimulates rather than reduces legitimate music sales.
Playing Games With Media Usage
It's no secret that time spent online is a major rival to traditional media usage. But among some segments of the population, at least, time spent gaming is in the same ballpark as time watching TV or surfing the Web.
Touchscreen Mobile Phone Adoption Grows At Blistering Pace In U.S. During Past Year
comScore, Inc. recently released a study of touchscreen mobile phone adoption in the U.S., which showed a significant 159% growth rate during the past year to 23.8 million users in August 2009. The growth in touchscreen device adoption substantially outpaced the already strong 63% growth in U.S. adoption of smartphones.
When It Comes to Entertainment Options, U.S. Consumers Turning To Social Networking, Texting, And Twitter
According to the latest update to the “Entertainment Trends in America” tracking study conducted by The NPD Group, many consumers expect to be spending the same amount on traditional entertainment categories during the coming holiday season, even as their participation in newer forms of entertainment continues to rise.
Web To Drive Holiday Retail Sales
Retail sales will probably be flat this holiday season, but online sales are expected to reach $44.7 billion, an 8% jump over last year, according to the latest data from Forrester Research.
Seven Ways To Tap Social Shopping
Marketers must understand that customers use social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to communicate with and gather information from their friends and colleagues. As a result, your presence on these sites must be integrated into the multi-directional communication when consumers want to interact with your firm. Here are seven ways to maximize social shopping results.
Will iPhone Lead The Growth In Portable Gaming?
A study by DFC Intelligence, released on Friday, predicts that games for the iPhone and iPod touch (an iPhone without the cellular capabilities) will be the principal drivers for growth in the overall portable and mobile gaming market in five years.
4 Emerging Trends Of The Real-Time Web
There is a lot of hype surrounding the real-time web, and much of the feeding frenzy reminds me of the RSS space four years ago — though there is a lot of potential, there is also a lot of noise.
A Shift In Mobile Computing From Laptops To Smaller Devices Is Forcing PC Makers To Adjust
The smartphone market will surpass laptops in unit sales this year, and will easily surpass the latter market in revenue by 2012.
Google's Eric Schmidt On What the Web Will Look Like In 5 Years
Google CEO Eric Schmidt envisions a radically changed internet five years from now: dominated by Chinese-language and social media content, delivered over super-fast bandwidth in real time. Figuring out how to rank real-time social content is “the great challenge of the age,” Schmidt said in an interview in front of thousands of CIOs and IT Directors at last week's Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Orlando 2009.
Does Social Media Work For Small Biz?
Small businesses are not hitting it off with social media, according to an August 2009 study from Citibank. More than three-quarters of U.S. small-business executives surveyed did not find social networks helpful for generating leads or expanding their business.
‘Gradual Greening' Of U.S. Tech Consumers
‘Green' or environmentally friendly policies and programs are becoming more top of mind for U.S. consumers when making technology related purchase decisions, but few are aware of specific policies, according to the annual Ipsos Green Technology report.
Online Retailers To Emphasize Free Shipping, Social Media This Holiday Season
The economy is not only impacting shoppers, it's affecting online retailers, too. According to results of Shop.org's eHoliday Study, conducted by BIGresearch, shoppers will see changes in retail marketing and promotions this holiday season in response to economic uncertainty. With an understanding that many of today's shoppers use Facebook and Twitter regularly, and because these tools are more cost-effective than traditional advertising, 47.1% of retailers surveyed will be increasing their use of social media this holiday season.
Top Ten Holiday Trends For 2009
BIGresearch shares 10 insights of what to expect this holiday season based largely on findings from NRF's first holiday survey.
Flat Is The New Up: Web Buzz Also Suggests Soft Holiday Retail Season
Despite increased optimism about the economy, the social media landscape indicates that we are in a similar place to where we were this time last year when it comes to spending; buzz about Christmas and holiday shopping is down 3% year-over-year.
TOP 12 WEB CELEBS TO WATCH FOR IN 2010
I frankly don’t know how the world ever got by before the internet. Seriously. Over the past few years, I’ve been so hardwired to the web that I swear I dream in html. So much of my time is spent clicking --- my left hand can barely hold onto a pencil, while my right hand can crush a Volkswagen --- In the year or so since we set up www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic, and since launching the new website and blog around two years ago, a lot of amazing online video auteurs have come to our attention. Here are a dozen up-n-coming webheads that we think are the TOP 12 WEB CELEBS TO WATCH FOR IN 2010…………………
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/30/top-dozen-web-celebs-to-watch-for-in-2010/
BOOTLEGGING AT CRICKET/COORS
Anyone wondering how effective all those “no recording devices” and “no cameras” signs and searches are at concert venues, here are a baker’s dozen of fan shot clips live from Cricket/Coors Amphitheatre. For some shows there are numerous videos posted by different fans / different vantage points…http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/30/bootlegging-at-coors-amphitheatre-aka-cricket-amph/
TOP FIVE MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS OF THE ROCK ERA
5 4) Rock & Rule - mostly songs done for the movie, including Lou Reed (singing the Jagger-like lead baddie's theme song "My Name is Mok"), Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry (who played a role too), Cheap Trick, and a fantastic Earth Wind & Fire cut. The movie almost bankrupted legendary Canadian studio Nelvana, while the somewhat more adult-oriented Heavy Metal feature stole much of Rock & Rule's thunder - the fascinating tale is told at The Rock & Rule Homepage . 3) Lost Boys - space goth representing the best work ever done by Foreigner's Lou Gramm, plus Echo and the Bunnymen doing a cover version of "People Are Strange" that makes the Doors look like the stoner-led lucky hacks they always were. 2 As detailed on Wikipedia, the English musicians who played under the name The Venus in Furs on the soundtrack were Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, David Gray, Suede's Bernard Butler, and Roxy Music's Andy Mackay. The American musicians who played as Curt Wild's Wylde Ratttz on the soundtrack were The Stooges' Ron Asheton, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley, Minutemen's Mike Watt, Gumball's Don Fleming, and Mark Arm of Mudhoney.
The soundtrack features new songs written for the film by Pulp, Shudder to Think and Grant Lee Buffalo, as well as many early glam rock compositions, both covers and original versions. The Venus in Furs covers several Roxy Music songs with Thom Yorke channeling Bryan Ferry on vocals, Placebo covers T.Rex's "20th Century Boy," Wylde Ratttz and Ewan McGregor cover The Stooges' "T.V. Eye" and "Gimme Danger", and Teenage Fanclub and Donna Matthews cover The New York Dolls' "Personality Crisis." Lou Reed, Brian Eno, T.Rex, and Steve Harley songs from the period are also included. The album is rounded out by a piece of Carter Burwell's film score.
All three members of the band Placebo also appeared in the film, with Brian Molko and Steve Hewitt playing members of the Flaming Creatures (Malcolm and Billy respectively) and Stefan Olsdal playing Polly Small's bassist.
I debated hard over whether to list Times Square (1980) rather than one of the above choices, because I probably play that soundtrack album more than any of the others - but only a few of its songs are unique to the soundtrack. And some of the tracks that turn up elsewhere, like Patti Smith's "P-ssing in the River," are early versions that are kinda plain by comparison. Same website has downloadable audio files with two of Tim Curry's best albums, and an offbeat "Greatest Hits" collection of Curry cuts --
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WHAT I'M WATCHING - QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002)
RIP SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON FOUNDER SHEL DORF
Jack Kirby and Shel Dorf — November 9, 1969 - courtesy http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
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(colors: Christie Maconnell)
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ALSO SEE:
Tim Curry Rocks - Tim Curry has enjoyed a vastly and inexplicably underrated music career. Curry’s big, booming voice was perfectly suited for the theatrical rock opera-esque songs, most of which managed to be both gritty urban and feather-fay at the same time – think Springsteen concert as staged by Twyla Tharp... www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/nov/17/tim-curry-rocks---a-custom-designed-dream-concert
************************************************ THE KIDS OF WIDNEY HIGH - A ROCK 'N' ROLL COMIC!
The Kids of Widney High: Beyond the Sky’s the Limit is the latest in a long line of accomplishments by The Kids of Widney High, a music group composed of students with developmental and/or physical challenges from J. P. Widney High School, a special education center in Los Angeles. Written entirely by members of the band and illustrated by some of the comic book industry’s top talent, the 36-page book is a milestone event in both rock 'n' roll and comic book history. Contributors include award winning artists Jim Mahfood (Clerks, Jay & Silent Bob), Chuck B.B., and Rafael Navarro, along with up and coming new talent like Rikki Niehaus, Neal Von Flue, Robbi Rodriguez, and Chris Brandt.
All the dialogue spoken by characters in the book was drawn directly from quotes recorded during story sessions, effectively capturing the spirit and attitudes of the bandmembers. The Kids of Widney High first formed in a songwriting class in 1988 and has grown into a world-wide sensation. They've performed on stages all along the west coast including The House of Blues, The Key Club, and Chain Reaction, and they were recently featured in the movie The Ringer. A documentary detailing the history of the band is currently in production.
Bandmember Tony Whitfield proudly says the comic is “the music that will rock your eyes!”
www.kidsofwidneyhigh.com
(Knitting Factory: photog Mathew Klickstein)
Antimusic reports: As I Lay Dying is currently holed up with Killswitch Engage guitarist/producer Adam D. and Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios in San Diego, recording and writing their follow up to 2007's An Ocean between Us. The band will be recording and writing throughout the rest of 2009 and vocalist Tim Lambesis has issued the following update via the band's myspace page:
"We've released little bits of information here or there in previous news posts and blogs, but there are still questions coming in concerning what we've been up to. Below is an unquestionably obvious outline concerning our future plans…
1) We started working on new album.
2) We started recording the new album a few weeks ago with Adam D & Daniel Castleman at the reigns (and JMR for a couple weeks).
3) There are only drums for 8 songs tracked so far. One of them we're undecided about, but maybe it'll feel different when the vocals are done. Either way, we need write more than 8 songs (since they aren't as long as the 8 songs on Master of Puppets). Therefore we're working on writing MORE new songs as soon as we finish recording what's been started.
4) The only break in working on the new album will be our short trip to Mexico and Sri Lanka to play two of the best shows of our career. 5) All of us can't stress enough how grateful we are to be writing music that we love while still receiving a paycheck. This can only be credited to OUR LOYAL FANS! Sometimes bands need to rush out a crappy record so they can start touring again to pay their bills.
"In our case, we plan to make a record worth listening to (hopefully), and start touring again when we're done. Thanks for your patience and understanding. We care and we're working. In fact, I haven't had a full nights rest since March when the coolest kid ever made me a DAD!" - more on this story
As I Lay Dying (named after the book by William Faulkner) formed in 2001. The lineup consists of Tim Lambesis (vocals), Jordan Mancino(drums), guitarists Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso - bassist Clint Norris was replaced by Josh Gilbert in May 2007.
Hipa describes the band’s music as “brutal, energetic, melodic metal”; Mancino calls it “metal with ska breakdowns.” The band signed with Metal Blade Records in 2003 and spent 2006 supporting their album Shadows Are Security with opening slots for Slipknot and performances at Ozzfest events around the country.
“I never realized, until Ozzfest, about our utterly weird fans,” says Lambesis. “We were signing autographs...this guy brought out his two-week-old baby, and he actually has us sign the baby — our autographs are right there on its body.”
Jordan Mancino recalls, “The hardest thing [about Ozzfest] was getting stuck on a dirt road with our bus in the middle of the Arizona desert.”
Nick Hipa: “Lots of sloppy, gross old ladies walking around with their gross old boobs painted. Definitely a bum-out.”
Asked about being occasionally called “Christian metal,” Hipa says “All of us in the band are Christian dudes and we’re vocal about it and I think our lifestyles and our lyrics reflect that. But at the same time, we also tend to opt to play in the normal music scene because that’s what we love doing.”
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LOCAL NINE INCH NAILS DRUMMER HAS A NEW REGIME FOR YOU
Antimusic reports: We've been warned. "Things are about to get MANIC," so says Rock Sound magazine. What's behind that declaration? The New Regime, the "true solo project" of current Nine Inch Nails and former Lostprophets drummer Ilan Rubin. No mere time-keeper, the adept multi-instrumentalist wrote and recorded every note of bass, drums, guitar, piano and vocals on The New Regime's 2008 debut, Coup (Command! Music).
Feeling energized by the new crop of fans he's collected due to Nine Inch Nails' recently concluded "Wave Goodbye" tour, Rubinhas put together a special limited edition deluxe package of Coup set for release November 10 exclusively on the band's website (www.thenewregimemusic.com ). For $45, fans will get a 180 gram vinyl, the CD, a DVD featuring live performances and an interview with Rubin, a 16-page full color 12" x 12" booklet, and an exclusive website link to download instrumental mixes from The New Regime's website.
All 1,000 limited edition copies will also be hand-numbered and signed by Rubin. A stand alone digipak CD will also be available on the band's website for $7. To celebrate the package's release, the band will be performing at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday, November 19. Tickets are currently on sale.
In a true sign of support for his new band member, Trent Reznor is encouraging his hardcore fans to get to know The New Regime by offering a free download of the album in its entirety on NIN.com the same day as Coup's release. Nine Inch Nails' camp will also host the download on a direct link, http://thenewregime.nin.com , starting at midnight on November 10. - more on this story
Drummer Ilan Rubin. started his music career while still in grade school, with the local band Freak of Nature, which performed at Woodstock 1999. Nine Inch Nails announced this week that Rubin is their newest drummer in early '09. 20 years old at the time, Rubin used to take drum lessons from Travis Barker of blink-182 and David Uosikkinen, from the Hooters.
Astute Reader readers may remember that one previous NIN drummer, Jerome Dillon, had a medical mishap during a 2005 San Diego gig, only to find himself quickly replaced in the band.
Here’s the Overheard comic from September 2005, when NIN played in San Diego shortly after having done a show at Soma, only to have drummer Jerome Dillon fall over onstage ----
Dillon told MTV.com at the time "It was absolutely the most stressful thing I've been through in my life…During the third leg of the tour, I noticed that I was not feeling good. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with a thyroid malady and I was taking medication for it. I didn't know that [the medication wasn't working] and was building up in my system on the road."
A few NIN shows were cancelled, and then Dillon called NIN management to say he was back on his feet, healthy, and ready to get back behind his kit. But Dillon said Reznor and company showed "complete apathy and no sympathy for what I'd been through…I was not welcomed back with open arms, which I didn't understand, since I had been in the band for six years."
After booting Dillon from NIN, Reznor posted a message on the band’s website, saying “Jerome continuously has to see himself as the victim in all circumstances. He lives in a world where he is always being wronged by someone or something. That could be me, that could be management, that could be his drum tech, that could be the girl who mistakenly washed his permanent press designer jeans, that could be the person that didn't cook his chicken properly before the show, or that could be the record label that wont give him tour support for his new band to play a show…you look like an a-hole in your picture.”
Congratulations, Ilan, for becoming NIN’s new drummer...and, uh…..good luck!
************************************************RYAN SEACREST HAS AN EVENTFUL FOR YOU
San Diego-based Eventful, Inc. and Ryan Seacrest Productions have announced a "strategic marketing and technology alliance." The alliance brings together Seacrest, the American Idol host and syndicated radio show producer, with Eventful, a digital service connecting fans with entertainment and local events.
Seacrest will produce entertainment content and marketing programs leveraging Eventful's proprietary technologies including the company's robust email technology platform and Eventful's unique Demand it! service which will empower Seacrest's audience to engage and vote on programming topics, "Demand" their favorite celebrities and participate in contests and promotions for entertainment and live events. The alliance is at the forefront of a movement in which performers and entertainment properties partner with leading social media companies to combine unique and engaging content with the latest technology platforms in order to reach and engage consumers.
To begin their new alliance, Ryan Seacrest and Eventful are announcing the launch of the 'Ryan Rock My Town' contest through Eventful's Demand it! service which allows fans to demand a free concert in their city featuring Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta. The city with the most Demanders will win the concert and participants will be eligible to receive the free tickets.
Fans can demand the concert online by going to RyanSeacrest.com. The winning city will be announced January 8, 2010 on Seacrest's radio show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and on KIIS FM in Los Angeles. The announcement will also be posted on RyanSeacrest.com immediately following the broadcast.
By hosting and producing multiple television and radio programs, Ryan Seacrest continues to be a force in entertainment media. The host of American Idol and the global radio countdown show, American Top 40 also has a market-topping #1 nationally syndicated entertainment morning drive-time radio show with On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
His RSP company has multiple shows in production including Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and the socially conscious Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution with famed British chef Jamie Oliver, premiering in 2010 on ABC.
Eventful is a digital social media service which connects consumers with entertainment, live events and performers. Along with Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, Eventful is part of the digital connection between fans and performers and a marketing resource for the music, film and entertainment industries. Reportedly, nearly 13 million people use Eventful's online, email and mobile services every week to discover what's happening in their local market and decide what to do. Eventful's unique Demand it! service "empowers fans to influence the location and content of events and entertainment."
"It is imperative we continue to engage and create dialogue with our audience," says Ryan Seacrest, "Eventful is at the forefront in the world of digital media and I am thrilled to be partnering with them."
"We're honored to work with Ryan Seacrest who is among the most talented and creative people I've ever met," said Eventful CEO Jordan Glazier. "The strategic alliance between Eventful and Ryan Seacrest brings big benefits to both of our companies and, most importantly, will bring exciting content and entertainment opportunities to consumers."
As part of the alliance, Seacrest joins Eventful's Board of Advisors.
Terms of the alliance were not disclosed.
30 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH.........
12-14-85: The Dead Kennedys played one of their final shows with original singer Jello Biafra, at downtown’s California Theater. As the set wrapped up, raucous fans tore up the seats and pulled curtains down from walls, causing police to call out a riot squad, though officers stayed outside the building until the crowd dispersed on its own.
The fifteen song set included tunes off their newest album Frankenchrist, as well as “Triumph of the Swill,” “Police Truck,” and the encore “Holiday in Cambodia.”
The show's promoter - future Casbah owner Tim Mays - recalls "The police were called in by the fire marshalls - who were freaking out about fans not staying in their seats and clogging the aisles. Some seats got destroyed...At one point I went outside to get some air, and there were police on all four corners surrounding the block the theatre was on. They weren't going to let me go back inside."
"Finally, one of my production managers convinced a female cop he happened to know that I was indeed the promoter and not just some random fan who had wandered outside."
The next night (12-15-85), the DKs performed at Tijuana’s Teatro Casa de la Cultura, in a show also promoted by Mays (tickets: $5). Outside the venue, Mexican police arrested several San Diegans “for no apparent reason,” according to newspaper columnist George Varga.
After the DKs, the California Theater only hosted a handful of punk shows for the remainder of its existence as a concert hall. After TJ, the band with Biafra only played three more concerts before calling quitting the concert trail a few weeks later.
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SHIPPING SUMMER 2010: ROCK 'N' ROLL CARTOON HISTORY - THE SIXTIES
Here's the first look at the cover art for the 300 page graphic novel Rock 'N' Roll Cartoon History: The Sixties, shipping summer 2010 from Bluewater Productions. www.bluewaterprod.com -- www.myspace.com/rocknrollcomics
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WHAT I'M WATCHING - QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002)It's never a good sign when the deleted scenes and DVD commentary are more enjoyable than the stand-alone film, but Queen of the Damned surprised me. It's got a lot of flaws - but it's not at all a horrible movie. It messed with and compressed/redid the Anne Rice novels so much that few people seem to like it - but I think if you go into without expecting it to be Anne Rice's Lestat, but rather a story loosely "inspired by" her books, it's a decent little goth movie.
Particularly the fully-realized music (and accompanying music videos, seen only in flashes during the movie but included on the DVD in their entirety, all framed ala German expressionism and surreal, very much Nosferatu/Doctor Caligary silent movie-inspired), by guys from Korn, Static X, Oingo Boingo, and even Marilyn Manson (who has one great album, Mechanical Animals, his Ziggy Stardust glam tribute/ripoff).
The whole vampire-goes-high-tech subtheme is intriguing, especially Lestat calling out his fellow vampires on the giant Times Square diamondvision screen ("Come out, come out, wherever you are"), and Lestat laying down inside a huge satellite dish and absorbing the entire world as it streams digitally and directly to his brain.
Some of the director's alterations from the two Rice novels the movie is based on (Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned) are actually improvements - such as keeping Lestat's debut concert to a one-time affair, thus explaining why the other vamps never went after him at other concerts (a vexing plothole in the Lestat novel).
On the other hand, transforming female lead Jesse from a savvy vampire hunter and historical archivist with insider insight into a mere "Bite me, baby, one more time" groupie is among the filmmaker's WORST moves - eccch. Even if the actress playing Jesse is quite fetching (Marquerite Moreau, also seen in the highly underrated remake of Bedazzled).
The DVD's deleted scene showing the other Ancient Ones, as they gather to plot against the Queen SHOULD have been kept, as it provides all the motive behind the anti-Queen backlash acted out by present day-to-day vamps. I especially loved the Ancient Ones walking freely thru a goth concert, looking around incredulously and commenting "Ancient Rome had nothing on these people!" Why oh why was all that cut???
An improvement over the books - having the big concert outdoors in the desert in a remote and isolated Burning Man-style gathering is FAR better than Rice's dinky little indoor concert hall melee. Visually, the ensuing onstage battles need to be matched by the epic size and scope of the event locale, so the movie version is much more dynamic, and really more correct and apropos than in the novel.
The remote concert locale also goes a long way toward explaining how vampires can suddenly "out" themselves and their powers all over the stage, without a worldwide audience immediately finding out all about the head undead (UnDeadheads?) coming out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
Stuart Townsend as Lestat deserves particular praise. While no Tom Cruise, he's a lot better than you'd expect, and certainly believable as a rock star. As surprisingly dynamic as Cruise was in Interview/Vampire, there's no WAY he could have done the rock star turn without making everyone laugh while remembering the tightie whitey dance from Risky Business!
LOCALS IN THE NEWS
Michael Robertson, the local webking whose original MP3.com and Sideload websites caused no end of legal troubles, has sold San Diego-based Gizmo5 to Google for $30 million. Gizmo5 specializes in internet telephony technology. Google Acquires voip Firm Gizmo5 for $30 Million
Antimusic reports: As I Lay Dying entered the studio in October with Adam Dutkiewicz (of Killswitch Engage) and Daniel Castleman (Winds Of Plague) to begin tracking their next Metal Blade Records release. more
Travis Barker spoke with MTV and told them a little about his solo album plans, "There's some stuff on my record that's not going to have a bunch of guitars, that are just straight-up hip hop records. Everything's going be real different. It's going to be really well-rounded," he told MTV News on Wednesday. "We got a new Blink song on there, I think I'm going to do something with Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. Slash is a maybe too
Former San Diego street urchin Linda Perry - who went on to front 4 Non Blondes and to write hits for Xtina and others - has signed Little Fish to her Custard label via Universal Motown Records, Little Fish's debut album Baffled and Beat is set for an early 2010 release. The album was produced by Perry herself, in her Los Angeles studio. The band is currently on tour in the UK supporting The Eagles Of Death Metal and will finish up a set of dates with Juliette Lewis in December. With a handful of CMJ dates already under their belt, the band will soon be hitting the States to strut their stuff. - go fishing here
Flogging Molly have announced dates for what has become their annual spring tour centered around the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The "Green 17 Tour" kicks off on February 9th in Dallas, Texas more
Blink-182's Travis Barker appears alongside Taylor Swift and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, and Weezer's Rivers Cuomo in Brett Ratner-directed commercial ad for Activision video game Band Hero where they recreate a scene from "Risky Business". "The premise is that we're sliding out into a living room and it's me and three other players. The three other players are some of my musical heroes," Taylor commented more
The Black Heart Procession are interviewed in the new Filter Magazine - Q: The first show of the tour will be at The Casbah in your hometown of San Diego. Is it symbolic that you start where the band began 12 years ago? (more Q&A: The Black Heart Procession)
Pinback are featured in a new article in the Washington Examiner - Pinback plays on: California band brings show to dc's Black Cat
Runhoney drummer Emily O'Bannon will appear in the November 25 episode of the new TV show Glee, which has proven to be a huge hit, having sold over two million songs online. O'Bannon plays the drummer for a rival band competing with the Glee crew. O'Bannon also works at the newly opened Gossip Grill, which is operated by Chris Shaw, formerly of the Flame.
AntiMusic reports: A lil Judas Priest Christmas cheer for Halloween? The new single "Christmas for Everyone" from Halford III Winter Songs is available as a FREE download from HalfordMusic.com . Four more new singles from "Halford III Winter Songs" are available for purchase from HalfordMusic.com as well:Get Into The Spirit, We Three Kings, Oh Come O Come Emanuel, Winter Song. more
Check out Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready performing "Ball & Chain" with Social D here Also be on the look out for video of Mike Ness and Jonny "2Bags" Wickersham joining Pearl Jam on-stage performing "Down."
We Are The Fallen, the new band featuring original Evanescence members Ben Moody (guitar) and John LeCompt (guitar) and Rocky Gray (drums) along with American Idol vocalist Carly Smithson is currently recording its debut album for Universal Republic in Los Angeles and expect to release it in early 2010. more
Stone Temple Pilots are just about to hit Canada with a couple of random dates set after that. Sounds like a perfect time to get to work on an album, and that's the plan according to frontman Scott Weiland: "When we get back[from touring], we're going to finish the album. And then when we finish the album, there will be a big tour around its release and that will probably be a long tour." more
Adam Lambert had this update for fans on his Twitter account: "Well here's some more album info for you guys! The upcoming single was produced by Dr Luke!!" he twits. "Debut single is called 'For Your Entertainment' get ready to shake yo asses to this song. It'll make ya dance for sure." more
Less than three weeks from its release day, Lambert's major-label debut album For Your Entertainment has been previewed. All of the fourteen songs on the album can be streamed for 30 seconds on Amazon U.K. more
(Lambert's Nagel-inspired cover art looks a lot like Rihanna's new album, not to mention below Kylie Minogue records! A new "Touch Yer Face" fad?)
TEN SONGS BY LOCALS THAT ARE BETTER WHEN SOMEONE ELSE DOES THEM! --- courtesy Bart Mendoza
Being a musician is great but being a songwriter can be even greater - if your song ends up in the right hands, or with the right voice. Here are ten songs by ten
Phil Collins / “Separate Lives”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF0scfQ7_so
Written By Stephen Bishop. A huge worldwide hit, as heard in the 1985 film, White Knights.
Phil Collins & Phillip Bailey / “Easy Lover”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1kDmnHyOBg
Co-written by Nathan East. This one went all the way to #2 in 1984, hitting #1 in the
Dan Fogelberg / “Rhthym of The Rain”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djCUfGVd9lY
Written by John Gummoe. This is the lone track here that was a hit in an earlier incarnation as well, in this case by Gummoe's own group, The Cascades. Fogelberg’s 1990 version was a #3 Adult Contemporary Hit, and is till ubiquitous on soft-rock radio. Also one of only two songs by a local songwriter to hit near the top of the charts with more than one version of a song. So far.
Lynyrd Skynyrd/ "Call Me the Breeze"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaTZkIInYNw
Written by JJ Cale. This is the band in their prime, with a 1975 appearance on British TV program, The Ol’ Grey Whistle Test.
Steve Miller Band / “Jungle Love”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHXMnC2qwk
Co-written by Greg Douglass. Some songs are lucky enough to get a second chance at hit status, as happened when Steve Miller’s “Jungle Love” was used as a theme song for CBS-TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
The Monkees / “Daydream Believer”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9m-hkvFDLk
Written by John Stewart. Many others including Anne Murray and Shonen Knife have had hits / singles with the song. With so many versions to choose from, we went with U2 live, with head Monkee, Davy Jones, in 1997.
The Matrix with Katy Perry / “Broken”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOoyiN3BfP0
Co-written by Anna Troy & Lindsey Troy. This single was recorded in 2004, but not released until 2009. The Troys version of the song, was called “What Do You Do.”
The Ramones / “I Don’t Want To Grow Up”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU2SRNU955c
Written by Tom Waits and another tune with many versions – dig the Dan Clowes artwork in the video!
Johnny Rivers / “Slow Dancin (Swayin’ To The Music)”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQOmW_TVPxI
Written by Jack Tempchin, one of his many hit songs. This version is live, on NBC-TV’s The Midnight Special.
Various Artists / “Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-P3ClQfWks
Written by Jeannie & Jimmy Chetham. Many blues songs have been written by San Diegans, but only one is a certified standard, covered by hundreds of bands worldwide. Case in point, here’s one of a numerous local bands found online playing the tune, Band of Oz, from
RIP SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON FOUNDER SHEL DORFLongtime comic book historian Shel Dorf passed away November 3, at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, after a long hospitalization. His brother, Michael Dorf, was at his side. If you knew Shel, or just want to find out more about the man who founded the San Diego Comic-Con, I encourage you to visit (and maybe post to) http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
The original San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon was held on March 21, 1970 at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. News of Shel's passing leaves me very sad - he knew Revolutionary Comics founder Todd Loren back when Todd was first doing comic conventions in around Detroit, and I've known Shel since his early '80s days at the San Diego Comic-Con and working with us at Blackthorne Publishing on the Dick Tracy comic strip reprints in the late '80s.
I didn't begin attending the local Comic-Con until 1983, when they were at the Community Concourse Civic Theater and Golden Hall, but from then I went every year, up until I retired from comic book publishing in 2000. Shel withdrew from running the Con in the mid-'80s, and my first-ever professional "comic-creator" Con pass came courtesy of friends of Shel, who let me attend his farewell party where I met dozens of comic creators and publishers who'd later be instrumental in my own career.
One of my biggest professional or personal thrills to date was drawing a little piece of skullface barbarian artwork on a gigantic wall-size paper card that everyone at Shel's party was drawing on that night, along with personal messages of cheer and well wishes - I sheepishly scribbled my art between drawings by the likes of Berni Wrightson, Frank Brunner, and John Pound, feeling for all the world like an interloper and imposter, brazenly defacing Shel's giant greeting card with my own inadequate scrawl.
But then Shel walked over, shook my hand, and thanked me ---- I cite that as the very moment I became a professional comic book creator ---
Many years later, around 1992, I went to lunch with Shel and Revolutionary Comics publisher Herb Shapiro. I was surprised to find that Shel actually remembered me from as far back at that '80s Comic-Con party, tho I imagine he only remembered because I was the one guy he'd never met before but who defaced his giant greeting card anyway.
During lunch, Shel looked at me and said "I had a feeling right from the start that you were one of the good guys in comics."
I've strived ever since to live up to that pronouncement ----
Shel Dorf was a rare true-life hero -- he'll be sorely missed ---
Jay Allen Sanford 11/3/09
Jack Kirby and Shel Dorf — November 9, 1969 - courtesy http://www.sheldorftribute.com/
THE RETURN OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS!
Here's a sneak peek at the first promo art for the locally-produced Rock 'N' Roll Comics: Hard Rock Heroes, a 400 page graphic novel shipping from Bluewater Productions in early 2010, as well as the 240 page Beatles Experience comic, the Pink Floyd Experience, Led Zeppelin Experience, the Elvis Presley Experience, and more -
JAS
First, here's the first look at the Elvis Presley Experience cover art:
And here's the scoop and a first look at the cover of the Pink Floyd Experience:
Hard Rock Heroes: What goes together better than comics and rock music? With almost 300 pages of Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics, Hard Rock Heroes goes WAY beyond Behind the Music, to tell the real life, behind-the-scenes stories of rock’s most heavy hitters. Creators include Stuart Immonen (Superman: End of the Century), Ken Landgraf (Wolverine), Jay Allen Sanford (Overheard in San Diego..), Todd Loren (Beatles Experience), Scott Pentzer (Razor), Mike Sagara (Ninja High School), and many others.
Hard Rock Heroes is a book-length pictorial history, covering bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Poison, Megadeth, Pantera, Anthrax, Motorhead, Sammy Hagar, and more. The cinematic stories are realistically drawn, researched from countless photo and video archives, with an encyclopedic eye toward visual accuracy, dramatic flair, and journalistic depth.
Also includes the never-before published “missing” Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics #8 from 1990, on Skid Row. The lack of an eighth issue has vexed collectors and catalogers for years – exactly 20 years later, the story can finally be told, and collectors can finally own ALL the Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics!
As a bonus treat, Hard Rock Heroes also features the Motley Crue comic story from their official box CD set Music To Crash Your Car To II, released in 2004 and written and drawn by original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics creators Lyndal Ferguson and Larry Nadolsky. Shipping February 2010.
(colors: Christie Maconnell)
"Great ideas, like the marriage of rock 'n' roll and comics, have the half-life of Uranium and will always be popular," says series co-creator Jay Allen Sanford, who has worked on over 200 reality-based comic books and thousands of similar cartoon strips for the San Diego Reader, as well as for magazines like Rip, Spin, and Oui. "The folks at Bluewater clearly have their fingers on the same pop culture pulse that enabled the original Rock 'N' Roll Comics to become one of the top-selling indie comics of the '90s. Truth is often stranger than fiction...and certainly much more interesting!"
The Beatles are bigger than ever, now available online for the first time digitally, on the Vegas stage in “Love,” and in the new Beatles: Rock Band video game. Now comes the most comprehensive and encyclopedic illustrated Beatles story ever, the Beatles Experience! Over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics) and Stuart Immonen (Legion of Super Heroes, Ultimate X-Men).
Covering the Beatles’ lives from birth and beyond their breakup, dramatized in dialogue and scene recreations more akin to a film bio than a mere documentary, the Beatles Experience also includes a Chronolog timeline going down each page, with encyclopedia background and footnotes detailing related events happening at the same time in the world, in music, and in the Beatles’ own tumultuous and extraordinary lives.
The Led Zeppelin Experience:
The Led Zeppelin saga is one of the wildest in rock history, and this graphic novel pulls no punches in dramatizing the backstage, behind-the-scenes story. From their early days as the New Yardbirds on through their rise to superstardom (and controversy), all five issues of the original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics series are collected in one rockin’ volume, with art by Scott Pentzer (Razor), Marshall Ross (Deepest Dimension), David Neer (Sports Superstars), Francois Escalmel (Frank Zappa: Viva La Bizarre), and others. The collection also includes update material, bringing the saga up to 2010.
MORE STRANGE STAGE MOMENTS - courtesy of Bart Mendoza
Zank Bennett: “At a gig, I was standing just behind our main speaker at the Tiki in PB, leaning against the map that is on the wall there. A little later I was playing a big solo in a song called “Saturday Night” and I went to lean back on the map/wall. It wasn't there. Unfortunately, I had spun another 45 degrees during my solo and hadn’t realized it. I was directly behind our front-of-the-house speaker; the one that sat atop an empty keg of beer. Still with my eyes closed, I leaned back and the three of us, the keg, the speaker on top and I, went tumbling the foot-and-a-half drop to the floor below. We were about three beats from the end of the song. The band never lost a beat and we finished the syncopated last few bars perfectly, more or less. And without a scratch.
Karin Carson: “One time I was playing shaker on a gig and getting really into the tune. So into it, that I lost the grip on my shaker, which went flying towards the guitar player, who, mid-riff, dodged the flying shaker in a matrix like move, sideways. The audience never caught on, but we still laugh about it.”
Carolyn Kallis / Coco and Lafe: “We were busking on the street in Boston and this very large man came down and sat down in front of us, almost right on the microphone, sort of assumed the yogi position and pulled out a can of colt 45. He started to mumble along to our songs, but then he lay down and fell asleep. Every once in awhile he’d wake up, mumble something and then go back to sleep. Homeless people really gravitated to us in
Danny Cress / The Coyote Problem: “I was in a surf trio a few years ago. We were in a club playing a version of the old standard “Caravan,” when all of a sudden - and in unison, the guitarist and bass player just put down their instruments and walked off. They headed towards the bar, looking at me just long enough to say “drum solo.” It was probably only about five minutes before they came back, but it seemed much longer.”
Mary Dolan: “I was booked for a performance at an AA convention in
Calen Lucas / Family Wagon: “We played a concert on Halloween and there was a giant pumpkin on the stage right in the center, where the monitors should be. As we were playing I decided to put one foot up on the pumpkin for dramatic effect. Except that my foot sunk right into the center of the pumpkin, which was hot orange goo under the stagelights.”
Abraham Nunez / Team Abraham: “At our Record Release Party (@ the Casbah) in March, we were mid-set when I suddenly see two bras hanging from the mic stand. One was very sexy the other was fairly large and sturdy. This was fine and I kept playing and all, but mid the next song, I see some boxers being passed down toward the stage... they we're flannel and I could smell them as they were being placed, by a fan, onto the mic stand. I wasn't sure how to respond...”
Eric Schauer: “Strangest thing? A gig at a dirty dive called "The Double Down" in
Anna Troy: “On stage at Lestats, I was singing a song with a friends band when a piece of hair went into my mouth. It was uncomfortable, but I waited until between songs to pull it out, complete with spit. Not very graceful, but it had to be done. For some reason the guys in the band loved it. The bassist said it was the highlight of the night.”
Jaime Valle: “Years ago, I was playing an underground
UPSTAGING APPLE'S iTUNES: Electrical engineers go head to head with Genius on music playlists
UC San Diego engineers use their song-annotating algorithms to study playlists
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Electrical engineers recently pitted Genius – the music recommendation system in Apple's iTunes – against two experimental music recommender systems. Genius appears to capture acoustic similarities among songs within the same playlist, the researchers found. The University of California, San Diego electrical engineers also discovered that the music recommender they built from scratch can generate song playlists that human subjects thought were as good as those that Genius generates. The UC San Diego system works for songs that Genius knows nothing about.
UC San Diego electrical engineering Ph.D. student Luke Barrington presented these findings on October 28 at the 2009 International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference (ISMIR 2009) in Kobe, Japan. (Read the paper at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/pubs/Barrington-Genius-ISMIR09.pdf
"Our goal is to make a music recommendation tool that is as good as or better than Genius, but that does not require massive amounts of user data. The system we are developing can analyze and recommend completely unknown songs by new bands as accurately as it analyzes the most popular hits," said Barrington, who used the same underlying technology to create a series of music discovery games for Facebook (http://herdit.org) and a new kind of music search engine that will be available for beta testing next week (http://herdit.org/music/index.html). Watch a three minute video about the new music search engine at: http://cse-ece-ucsd.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-music-search-engine-on-way.html
Tools for creating automated music playlists are increasingly useful now that huge numbers of songs are available for download and streaming to anyone with an Internet connection. iTunes – the most popular music retailer on the planet – has sold more than 6 billion tracks. Genius uses "collaborative filtering" on these purchase statistics to help people organize their music and discover new songs they might like based on similarity to a "seed" song that they do like.
By averaging statistics about how millions of listeners purchase and play music, Genius appears to actually capture acoustic similarities between songs, according to the new research, which involved human evaluation of music recommendation systems and was led by researchers at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Because Genius is a proprietary system whose secrets are not available to the public, the researchers studied it by testing its song recommendations against comparable song suggestions from experimental music recommender systems that they fully understood.
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"At first we thought that collaborative filtering would just spot similar artists: if you like Daft Punk, it might recommend any song by Justice. However, we found that acoustic similarities come through in Genius playlists. Genius seems to find correspondences between songs that go beyond what you get by just matching artists. We don't think Genius actually knows anything about the acoustics of songs, but it still produces great recommendations since the data it is using is built upon acoustic analyses of the music done by millions humans," said Luke Barrington, an electrical engineering Ph.D. candidate at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and the first author of the new study. Gert Lanckriet, an electrical and computer engineering professor from UC San Diego and Reid Oda, an undergraduate in cognitive sciences at UC San Diego are co-authors on this paper, available at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/pubs/Barrington-Genius-ISMIR09.pdf
Smarter than Genius?
The UC San Diego researchers found that the playlist generator they built using their own algorithms performed as well as Genius under certain conditions. In contrast to Genius, which uses information about the songs people buy and listen to in iTunes in order to learn which songs in any iTunes library are related, the UCSD music recommender relies on auto-tagging algorithms that use machine learning to label songs with descriptive words based only on the acoustic content of the songs.
"Our computer system works by listening to the music – it doesn't know anything about artists or albums or charts. In some trials of our survey, we tried to remove these biases from the human listeners by hiding the names of the songs and artists and making sure that subjects liked the seed songs but had not heard them before," said Barrington. In these cases, the researchers found that people liked playlists generated by the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms as often as they liked Genius playlists.
This partial parity with Genius underscores how the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms can be used to generate high quality music playlists that incorporate lesser-known and unknown songs. Genius currently ignores relatively unknown songs because it lacks adequate wisdom from iTunes customers about how these songs connect to other songs. Systems like the auto-tagging music algorithms developed at UC San Diego could be useful in filling in the "blind spots" in Genius and other collaborative filtering systems that rely on the wisdom of the masses to generate playlists.
"We weren't expecting our system to beat Genius at making playlists based on the most popular songs – our system doesn't know about artists, popularity, release dates, albums or anything else that the average music fan is aware of. Once we add that information in, we think we can build something that is really smarter than Genius," said Barrington.
Music Games are Serious Research
The UCSD electrical engineers are always improving their auto-tagging algorithms thanks to a series of music discovery games they created for Facebook called Herd It (http://www.herdit.org/). Players listen to songs and compete with other online players to most accurately describe the songs they are listening to. The electrical engineers use the song-word combinations these games generate to improve the accuracy and breadth of their auto-tagging algorithms.
As with the Herd It games, the surveys the engineers created to study playlists also began with humans listening to a song clip. Next, the survey system produced two competing five-song playlists for the same seed song. Playlists were generated by one of the four possible recommender systems the researchers were studying: Genius; Artist Similarity – a music recommender that selected songs based only on similar artists; Similar Tags – a music recommender that selected songs based only on the audio content of the songs (this system was built upon the UCSD auto-tagging algorithms); or random playlist.
For each pair of playlists, subjects identified the list they thought was better. Playlists were built from the authors' personal music library of over 12,000 relatively popular songs that span the most common genres of Western popular music. The list of songs used to seed playlists is available at: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/cal/projects/playlist/
People are moving more and more to streaming music, where listeners don't have the actual file. With access to every song on You Tube, deciding which of the 10 million songs you want to listen to next can be daunting.
"Playlists are an increasingly important tool for overcoming what otherwise might be an overwhelming amount of streaming music," said Barrington.
New Music Search Technologies
The algorithms that automatically tag songs with descriptive words that are at the foundation of the UC San Diego playlist generator are also powering a new breed of search engine for music as well as Facebook games that provide researchers with the information needed to improve the new search engine. To watch a video highlighting the capabilities of the new music search engine, go to: http://cse-ece-ucsd.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-music-search-engine-on-way.html
This search engine will be available for beta testing next week. Register for the music search engine beta test at: http://herdit.org/music/
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SPORTS ARENA MVP SPILLS ON 2.5 MIL REDO AND NEW ARENA NIGHTCLUB
“We’re putting two and a half million dollars in the building” says Ernie Hahn, General Manager of the Sports Arena for the past 13 years. “It’s been a year since AEG Live became a majority owner partner and, since there’s no new arena being built for awhile in San Diego, AEG is modernizing the facility with creature comforts like LCD TV screens, flat screens, redoing the entrances and the outer concourse, paint and colors and lighting, and all new lower level seats. The eight rows of riser seats at the Arena that have literally been here since day one are all getting replaced, [with] 2,200 state-of-the-art seats.”
Construction has also begun on “a special club for our sponsors and club seat holders,” in the old Arena Club space, set to open later this year. Club 3500 (the facility’s address) will be 6,500 square feet, with a 350-person occupancy and accessed via membership only. “When you walk in,” says Hahn, “it’s going to feel like a downtown club, really swank, hip, and sophisticated. It’ll be close to a dedicated seating section at stage right, which will be put aside for our club members.”
Annual membership is $2,450.00, with the option to purchase up to four “dedicated seating” tickets for events you want to opt-in for. Other perks include VIP parking, a VIP entrance, and its own “Exclusive men’s and women’s rest rooms, with sound in them, new paint, mirrors, sinks, and counters, and stalls. The Arena Club in the past always had to utilize the rest rooms that are also available to anybody in [sections] A, B or C on the floor.”
Hahn is also outfitting Club 3500 with Arena memorabilia. “Few houses have this kind of history,” he says. “A lot of people saw their first concert here. We’ll have over 120 pictures showing the actual [Sports Arena] history, like Pink Floyd in ‘74, or the Stones in ’72. I’ve got a great shot of Elton John, one of Elvis in ‘73 or ‘76, and I think a Led Zeppelin ‘75 shot. We have a great photo of James Brown here in 1967, and one of John Denver in the mid-seventies, which I particularly like.”
The 42 year-old Hahn grew up in locally, with parents who were Mariners season ticket holders in the ‘70s (“Lower level one, two seats on the end, across from the visiting penalty box”). He began at the facility as an event coordinator in June 1991.
AEG runs, operates, or is involved with around a hundred arena facilities worldwide, though Hahn notes “We’re an open building. So, whether it’s Live Nation or AEG or anyone else, all shows are not only welcome but encouraged here.”
As for selling naming rights to the building (after a short-lived stint at the iPayOne Center), Hahn says “Through the global partnerships division of AEG, we’re working with a lot of sponsors, some who just recently stepped up, and we’re in discussions with a couple who will hopefully bid or ultimately come in as a naming rights partner.”
AEG sold naming rights for
And now, courtesy of Bart Mendoza, here are 15 video clips set at the Sports Arena, some pro-shot and some fan-made ----
1) Tribal Seeds @ Reggae Fest 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONzQ-w7zr84
2) Fleetwood Mac / “Dreams” 05/31/09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eXXAth0i74
3) Metallica / “Enter Sandman” 01-13/14-92 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYlPUNEwGRU
4) Nirvana / “Heart Shaped Box” 12 29 93 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVGpbtv2mgU
5) U2 / “Beautiful Day” 09 28 05 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HhnRBOMJhY
6) George Micheal / “Careless Whisper” 06/17/08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml1Qlpn_LQ8
7) Led Zeppelin Comes to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APplenzzKk4
8) Taylor Swift / “Hey Stephan” (really good footage of her interacting with concert crowd at 2:30 – kind of daring actually…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI4e8_fn80k
9) AC/DC / “Back In Black” 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiWX-7khEog
10) Janet Jackson / ….. (Janet gets overwhelmed by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcosWOI-dOs
11) Pearl Jam / “Jeremy” 1995 – not great pic quality, but really good sound!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCOZoUcPANI
12) JJ Cale & Eric Clapton / “Cocaine” 03/15/07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg63-uOgUJ8
13) P.O.D. / “Boom” (just 8 seconds worth!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXEzvQtnC9w
14) Ozzy Osbourne / …end of the show (fake gunshots!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUpDN1gOx5s
15) Slayer / At the Sports Arena 1992 (a brief parking lot clip shot by a fan!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H_9zhpMDHY
************************************************WHY MEXICANS HATED ELVIS!
May 1959: While Elvis Presley’s popularity in the U.S. was arguably at its all-time peak, Mexico was in the midst of a huge anti-Elvis backlash.
Tijuana tabloids called him a racist and homosexual, after the singer reportedly told gossip columnist Federico de León “I’d rather kiss three black girls than a Mexican.” A Mexican woman in the same column was quoted saying “I’d rather kiss three dogs than one Elvis Presley.”
Mexican Radio Exitos read de León’s column over the air and spearheaded a boycott of the “insolent artist,” while the powerful student group Federación Estudiantil Universitaria (FEU) held public record burnings.
When Elvis’ movie King Creole screened in May 1959 at the Américas Cinema in Mexico City, newspapers who’d advertised the film under the title Melodía Siniestra (Sinister Melody) reported a “riot” occurring.
Mexican counterculture novelist Parménides García Saldaña wrote a short story, “El rey criollo,” about the screening where several hundred gatecrashers reportedly shredded the seats and threw lit papers onto patrons from the balcony.
“Before the film began,” wrote Saldaña, “it was pure chaos, a f-ing riot as they say more vulgarly. The different gangs shouted ‘Here the Guerrero [neighborhood],’ ‘Here the Roma’ …And then some chicks come in with leather jackets with swastikas painted on them, pony tails and bobby socks, real rock and roller like…a group of guys gang up around them [and shout] “‘Dance!’”
Mexican reporters suggested Elvis’ hip-wiggling and mannerisms proved he was either maricón (homosexual) or actually a woman in reverse-drag.
The movie Los chiflados del rock’n roll, a musical spoof, was promoted with posters showing Elvis in drag, being shot by rifle-toting men in sombreros, under a banner reading “Die Elvis Presley!”
The book “Refried Elvis: The Rise of the Mexican Counterculture” (Berkeley: University of California Press, c1999) claims the original Elvis quote was fabricated. According to author Eric Zolov, “Herbe Pompeyo of Polygram Records in Mexico City claims that a high-up Mexican political figure wanted to contract Presley for a private party, for which he sent the performer a blank check to fill in as he wished.
Presley, according to the story, returned the blank check, so the politico, extremely offended, invented the storyline about Elvis not liking Mexican women.”
Who could have imagined that, four decades later, Mexico would be producing more Elvis velvet paintings than any other region in the world…
…not to mention giving us “El Vez, the Mexican Elvis….”
Many of the artists from Revolutionary Comics, Rock 'N' Roll Comics, and Carnal Comics have joined forces once again to work on a new & unusual comic and reality based project – The Obama Nation Card Game!
Obama Nation makes good-natured fun of politics, republicans and democrats, government spending and the
Former Rev Com artist (and Obama Game art director) Steve Crompton described how it all came together; ”It’s a bit like a cross between wacky packages, Old Maid and some of the stuff Revolutionary Comics might have done if they made card games. I thought it would be fun to get the old gang together for something like this, and I needed all the help I could get, so I contacted everyone I could find and I’m really happy with the response and great art I got from my Rev Com & Carnal pals.”
A quick look at the 54 card deck shows reveals an impressive list of RevCom & Carnal alums, including Lyndal Ferguson, Scott Jackson, Steve Crompton, Brad Foster, Gus Norman, Randy Vogel and Philo. There may even be a few others hiding in the set as a complete list of all the RevCom artists is hard to come by.
The full-color 54 card deck comes in a resealable box for a only $7.99.
http://shop.twistedrules.com/
You can also get it at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/shops/carnalcomics
http://www.obamanationcardgame.com/
***********************************************WHY AL KOOPER HATES LOCAL WRITERS (BUT LOVES SAN DIEGO)
Legendary keyboardist Al Kooper has played with Dylan, the Stones, George Harrison and countless others, but he still has time to beef about local music reporters like Buddy Blue and a certain Reader columnist... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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ANYA MARINA GETS STONED!
Rollingstone.com has added Anya Marina to their "breaking artist" profiles - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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THE BEATLES IN
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UNEXPECTED BEATLES ART - The Fab Four turn up in the oddest places... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/29/the-return-of-black-heart-procession-plus-anya-mar
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MAHARISH COMIX AND STORIES, OR "YOGI MAKES A BOO-BOO"
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WEIRD BEATLES MERCHANDISE - WTF were these licensors (and bootleggers) thinking... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/feb/06/my-brunch-with-yoko-plus-weird-beatles
MY BRUNCH WITH YOKO - Brunch with a Beatle bride... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/feb/06/my-brunch-with-yoko-plus-weird-beatles
YOKO ONO COMICS AND STORIES - When Johnny Met Yoko, with dialogue and captions paraphrased from published Lennon interviews. Plus John Lennon: A Life in the Day
LENNON OR McCARTNEY?? --We asked 25 local performers about their fave Beatle (and why), and got some surprising (and frequently revealing) answers...
CELEBRITY HOUSE HUNTING IN SAN DIEGO - Real estate broker Jeff Paiste has squired several famous musicians around San Diego in their search for decent digs to lease or rent, including Bread frontman David Gates and the late George Harrison.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/13/celebrity-house-hunting-in-san-diego
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JOEY MOLLAND/BADFINGER INTERVIEW - Badfinger's last man standing, Joey Molland, reveals more about the tragic story of Badfinger, as well as meeting and working with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Todd Rundgren, plus the Concert for Bangladesh, and more. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/21/x-jam-cancellation-controversy-plus-how-i-snuck-in/
THE DAY JOHN LENNON WAS SHOT - Local celebs share their recollections of December 8, 1980, plus guest essays from Al Kooper (who was recording with George Harrison that day) and others.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/25/john-lennon-12-8-1980-we-ask-local-celebs-where-we/
Exclusive preview and new interview with one of the creators/performers behind the new internet Trek series - click for more ---http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/oct/04/happy-rons-hormonal-harem---loving-san-diegos-musi/#
READER EXCLUSIVE - For the first time anywhere on the web, here's the promo trailer for Star Trek: The Continuing Mission, episode six: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/audioclips/66/
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The Twilight Zone made it's TV debut 50 years ago, on 10-2-59 - we asked local musicos to tell us their own favorite Zone episodes --- (more "What's Your Favorite Twilight Zone?" )
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THE ROCKETEER AND OTHER FAMOUS '80S COMICS BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO - Here's a detailed history of local Pacific Comics, who recruited comic superstars like Jack Kirby to create one of the first successful indie comic book lines. Pioneers in the fight for comic creators' rights and royalties, former employees and operators reveal how they did it, and what went so terribly wrong...
THE KOMPLETE KISS KOMIX KRONICLES - Comprehensive collection of stuff I’ve done about working with Kiss on a comic book series in San Diego, along with a bunch of never-before-seen artifacts from the Kiss Komix archives AND an article by Kiss comic author Spike Steffenhagen, offering his own very-different take, ala Rashomon, on the same events I describe in my essay...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/komplete-kiss-komix-kronicles
ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS: THE INSIDE STORY - In 1989, San Diego's Revolutionary Comics ("Unauthorized And Proud Of It") launched Rock 'N' Roll Comics, featuring unlicensed biographies of rock stars, most of which I wrote. Some performers, like Frank Zappa and Kiss, were supportive, while others like New Kids On The Block considered our comics akin to bootlegs and sued. In June 1992, publisher Todd Loren was found dead in his San Diego condo, brutally murdered...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/rock-n-roll-comics-the-inside-story
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK VS REVOLUTIONARY COMICS - The inside story of how a hugely successful boy band tried to sue local-based Rock 'N' Roll Comics over an unauthorized biography of the group, sparking a court case that established, for the very first time, first amendment rights for comic books. Illustrated by comic superstar Stuart Immonen (Superman, etc.)...
OVER A MILLION CARNAL COMICS ARE IN PRINT - Here's how and why we made some of the top-selling erotic comics of all time, right here in San Diego, including what Gene Simmons has to do with it all, backstage tales of porn stars, and more confessions of a comic pornographer...
COMICS AND CENSORSHIP - DON'T BE AFRAID, IT'S ONLY A COMIC BOOK - A local-centric history of comic book censorship, and the fight for the rights of comic creators...
TWILIGHT ZONE AND STAR TREK WRITER GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON PRESENTS - The inside story of a local horror comic book series featuring Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, plus sci-fi king Larry Niven, Zap Comix co-founder Spain Rodriguez, Matthew Alice artist Rick Geary, Vampire Lestat painter Daerick Gross, yours truly JAS, and many more...
THE BIRTH OF IMAGE COMICS: INSIDE STORY OF A LOCAL PUBLISHING POWERHOUSE - Illustrated tale revealing how Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and local comic artist Jim Lee (the Punisher, etc.) conspired to create the ultimate creator-owned comic books...
Down the Slippery Slope - Arrested For the Crime of Viewing Manga
On March 30, 2004, when Dwight Whorley found the Japanese website of Fractal Underground Studio via Yahoo and clicked on a couple of the thumbnail images... ( http://comipress.com/special/miscellaneous/down-the-slippery-slope-the-crime-of-viewing-manga )
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"Before It Was The Gaslamp: Balboa's Last Stand" - Cover story 6-21-07: In the late 70s/early 80s, I worked at downtown San Diego's grindhouse all-night movie theaters, for the owner of the Pussycat Theatre chain, Vince Miranda - this detailed feature recalls those dayz, the death of the Balboa Theatre, etc.
More Before It Was the Gaslamp
"Battle Of The Peeps" - feature article about a weird gig I had in the mid-'80s, running a strip club called Jolar, for the nation's second biggest pornographer, Harry Mohney (Deja Vu Showgirls founder).
More Battle of the Peeps - An Insider History of San Diego Porn Shops
"Field Of Screens" - Cover story 7-6-06: Complete theater-by-theater history of San Diego drive-ins thru the years, including a few which screened X-rated fare for awhile.
More Drive-In Theaters in San Diego: Complete Illustrated History 1947 thru 2008
"Pussycat Theaters - When 'Cathouses Ruled California" -- for the first time, the detailed inside story of the west coast Pussycat Theater chain of adult moviehouses, which peaked in the '70s but later died out. Told by those who actually ran the theaters!
More Pussycat Theater History: When Cathouses Ruled CA
**************************************************** More Music on the Reader Website:
- As I Hear It
- Blurt
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- Hometown CD Review
- Musician Interviews
- Of Note
- Overheard in San Diego
- Famous Former Neighbors
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- Upload Your Music
Find a Band
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Like this blog? Here are some related links:
OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/
FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/
SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic
JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford
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