Music
DMB Selling Albums Online, but not in iTMS
DMB has been selling their albums digitally, through their website, as Windows Media files for some weeks now. For $10, any of their studio albums can be downloaded in this DRMed format, or at full CD quality for $13, one dollar less than getting the CD itself. Unlike most bands, however, their digital audio is available only through their website, and not through services like Apple’s iTunes Music Store. This unusual step is the equivalent of not selling their CDs in stores, but only through their website — somewhat more profitable, but perhaps a little commercially anti-social. The band and their management has historically preferred to do things their own way, business-wise, but it looks like they may be folding on this one. Industry newsletter Digital Music News reports that DMB intends to start selling their albums through on-line music services, but that they are, unusually, not considering iTunes Music Store. This is presumably because Apple requires the sale of each track individually, which conflicts with the band’s belief that each album is a work unto itself, and not to be broken up.
Someone should tell them that it IS possible to sell albums only in iTMS. Furthermore, I often listen to a car mix CD I burned with my favorite tracks from all of DMB’s studio albums.
Orrin Hatch criminalizes the iPod
Orrin Hatch criminalizes the iPod: “With Orrin Hatch’s nation-destroying Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act headed for law, EFF has decided to create a real example of just what kind of “piracy” Hatch is targetting. Here’s EFF’s hypothetical complaint against Apple (for making the iPod) C|Net (for reviewing the iPod), and Toshiba (for supplying hard drives for iPods). All three of these activities fall within the scope of activity that Hatch’s bill seeks to end:
As detailed further in Professor Expert’s report, the iPod would have been much less attractive to consumers had it been incompatible with the music files downloaded from P2P networks and had it not allowed consumer-to-consumer transfers. Professor Expert’s report also makes it clear that the iPod, in turn, enhanced the attractiveness of P2P networks by offering iPod owners expansive storage capability and lightning-fast data transfer, allowing them to listen to any number of infringing music files when away from the computer.
Surveys conducted by Professor Expert establish that a majority of iPod owners have used at least some significant portion of their iPods to store and play infringing music files, whether derived from P2P networks or promiscuous hand-to-hand copying. Upon information and belief, Apple was certainly aware of this fact from its own internal marketing research.
(Thanks, Jason (and good work!))”
(Via Boing Boing Blog.)
DMB to Play Kerry Benefit
DMB to Play Kerry Benefit: “Dave Matthews Band will be performing at a benefit for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, according to an announcement on the band’s website. The July 8th event, which fits nicely into the band’s schedule, will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and will also feature Mary J. Blige, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi and Wyclef Jean. Dave Matthews has endorsed John Kerry for the presidency.”
(Via nancies.org.)
Two die at Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee
Two fans died during the weekend Bonnaroo music festival, which drew more than 150,000 people, and investigators said drugs appear to have been involved. They were the first deaths in the festival’s three-year history. (Via Salon.)
Jay-Z's Dead
Remember the Grey Album? Jay-Z’s Dead is a similar project using The Grateful Dead.
Great African Ball
Youssou N’dour is putting on another Great African Ball next month in NYC. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it. I just got his new CD, “Egypt” today. It’s very interesting & not like his usual style. The only bad thing is it’s only 41 minutes. It should have been longer.
Goodbye, Ray :(
I just found out that Ray Charles has died. He was a musical giant who transcended styles & boundaries. Although he’s mostly associated with R&B, he’s also done country, jazz, big band, blues, and gospel. He will truly be missed.
New Youssou N'dour album
I just found out that Youssou N’dour has a new album, Egypt, to be released June 8. This one sounds very different than his usual stuff – instead of his usual band, he’s joined by an Egyptian orchestra.
Phish Breaking Up
After 20 years together, Phish has announced that they’re finished. In a note on their website, written by lead singer Trey Anastasio, he writes that they “don’t want to become caricatures of [themselves], or worse yet, a nostalgia act.” It was just a few years ago, in an effort to stave off a breakup, that the band went on hiatus for a while before resuming their work together. The band will release what will presumably be their final album, Undermind, on June 15th, and head off on their final tour beginning June 17th. Their final concert will be in Vermont, on August 15th. Thanks to Patrick McKenzie for the news. (via nancies.org)
Just when I start to like them