DJ Craig's Web Log

The Man Who Refused To Die

2008-06-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Billy Idol keeps on keeping on. Idol, who admittedly has already, "used up his nine lives" is not only a survivor, he is thriving. He has overcome a serious motorcycle accident, drug excesses and a near career ending style change. Billy has finally come back from the brink to reclaim his mantle as Punk's snarlingest front man.

2005's "Devil's Playground" was arguably his best album ever. And he has seemingly been on tour non-stop since. While the majority of Billy's 80s contemporaries have long ago been thrown on the junk heap of pop culture, he continues to create new music. "New Future Weapon" and "John Wayne" are featured on a new greatest hits package, "Idolize Yourself - Best of Billy Idol".

Below is a live performance of "John Wayne" from a recent Jimmy Kimmel show:

Cover Songs- Tributes To The Classics

2008-06-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

FLUNK gets an "A+"!

A good cover pays homage to a great song and the band that originally made it a hit. It is a tribute and a show of appreciation. It demonstrates that a classic song can stand the test of time.

To be successful, the artist covering the song has to put their own spin on it and not simply recreate a note for note replica just to boost their own image or pad music sales. When they can successfully change the instrumentation or arrangement, giving the song new life and meaning, it transcends its former limits!

Examples:

"Blue Monday"- Flunk
http://www.myspace.com/flunktheband

"Somebody Got Murdered"- Matthew Ryan
http://www.last.fm/music/Matthew+Ryan/_/Somebody+Got+Murdered

"Stop Me"- Mark Ronson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4kBr5WWiBM

"Rebel Yell"- Mr. Badwrench
http://www.last.fm/music/Mr.+Badwrench/_/Rebel+Yell

"Enjoy the Silence"- Lacuna Coil

Absolutely 100% FREE Music!

2008-06-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

You say you want to download high quality music quickly and easily. You want cool music from both established, well known artists and cutting edge newcomers. Oh... and you don't want to pay a DIME for it?

Well why didn't you say so?

Lots of free music is available online with no strings attached. And not the kind that the RIAA will be taking you to court over!

Many legitimate sites offer promotional downloads just to get you to check out their webspace. It sure beats looking over your shoulder while you connect to some dubious peer to peer sharing network, hoping to find a good song at the risk of infecting your computer with a hard-drive-eating worm.

The Apple Music Store offers a free download, usually from an up and coming artist, once each week. Past offerings have included music from Cut Copy, Duffy, The Last Goodnight and Amy Winehouse. Check each Tuesday for the newest releases.

If you don't already have iTunes you can download it here for free:

APPLE iTunes

iLike is a social networking site that focuses on music and music lovers. iLike.com offers many free downloads. They range from established pop superstars like Cyndi Lauper to newcomers like She Wants Revenge. Here's a few FREE faves (click on the name to get your free download):

Astrid Williamson

Gabby Glaser

Cyndi Lauper

The Jan Watkins Band

Bridges And Powerlines

Al Marconi

She Wants Revenge

Amazon.com has now jumped on the mp3 downloading bandwagon with both feet. Poking around a bit in their mp3 store reveals lots of free stuff. Check out and download these without paying a cent for them while you can (click on the name to get your free download):

John Doe

The Raveonettes

Whitsundays

OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark)

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings

Ted Nugent

Dolly Parton

Nina Person

Finest Dearest

Michael McDonald

Brian Setzer

Good hunting!

Free downloads are subject to change and may only be available for a limited time. All downloads listed here should be both Mac and PC compatible.

Don't You Forget About Me

2008-05-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

According to Billboard, New Wave heroes Simple Minds will reunite with all of it's original members next month. The original lineup will hit the studio for the first time in 27 years with the goal of recording "at least two new tracks" for release before the end of the year.

Blondie celebrates the 30th anniversary of their 80s masterpiece, "Parallel Lines". The album, featuring the smash hit "Heart Of Glass", has sold over 30 million copies.

The "Parallel Lines 30th Anniversary Edition" includes the 7" single version of "Heart of Glass," the French version of "Sunday Girl" and some remixes, plus a DVD with promo videos and TV performances.

RIAA Gets It Wrong Again

2008-05-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

First, the Recording Industry Association of America generated tons of bad publicity by it's campaign to sue single mothers (and others) for hundreds of thousands of dollars for alleged illegal file sharing. Now the RIAA has effectively shot themselves in the foot.

Tanya Anderson of Portland, Oregon has been awarded $103,000.00 to cover court costs and legal fees stemming from the RIAAs unsuccessful prosecution of her last summer. The RIAA plans to appeal but still faces a case of malicious prosecution brought by Anderson.

Meanwhile a Minnesota judge is considering granting an appeal to Jamie Thomas, who was the first P2P defendant to face a jury trial for illegal file sharing. Thomas was originally ordered to pay $222,000.00 in damages.

The appeal judge is citing a potential "error of law" as to whether making a track available in a shared folder on a P2P network is an infringement. Arguments for a new trial begin July 1.

How about the RIAA taking some of that prosecution money and putting it towards helping the artists they represent put out a product people want to pay for?

Last Shadow Puppets Stuck In Time Warp

2008-05-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Last Shadow Puppets new album, "The Age of the Understatement" is out. Arctic Monkey's leader Alex Turner's side project has produced wonderful results.

The album has a dramatic retro vibe that can only be described as Burt Bacharach meets Quentin Tarantino. Songs like, "Standing Next to Me" and "The Chamber" have a Mersey beat sound that will have you reminiscing about Gerry and The Pacemakers.

"Black Plant", with it's driving beat, Herb Alpertish horns and swirling violins, could easily be mistaken for a lost track from an old James Bond movie. "Standing Next to Me" is pure 60's talk show cabaret. "My Mistakes Were Made for You" looks to be the lead single.

If having one of the most compelling new voices in Rock allows for this type of experimentation, I'm all for it.

Why I Hate "Emo"

2008-04-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

"The White Tie Affair" and "The Black Swan" are two more bands with new albums out this week that have been seemingly cloned from the prototypical, whining, emo-rock blueprint.

It is more disposable, angst ridden emo that is utterly indistinguishable from a thousand other groups jumping on the, "Look at me, I'm so sensitive I think I'll sing through my nose", bandwagon.

Oh the difficulties of going to the mall, meeting girls and not actually having to learn anything in order to progress through school. Life is tough.

If you've heard Fallout Boy, My Chemical Romance or any of the other in a long line of "misunderstood", enraged by pubescence boy bands, you've already heard this. Not that that will stop more of them from showing up on the scene in the weeks and months to come.

Feigning angst has never been so much fun.

B-52s Bring The Funplex

2008-04-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

B-52s live on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" April 2, 2008;

The B-52's recent visit to KCRW includes live performances of material from their new album, Funplex, and old classics.

U2- Old And New

2008-04-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Irish rock group U2 took a break over Easter and have now returned to the recording studio to continue working on their 13th studio album.

Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois are expecting a 2008 release.

The band's first three albums - Boy, October and War - have been remastered and will be released in July. Each album will be put out as a standard single disc, a deluxe double version that includes B-sides, live tracks and rarities and a vinyl edition.

Diamonds Are Forever

2008-04-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Arctic Monkeys covering a Shirley Bassey classic:

The Worst New Wave Cover Song... Ever

2008-03-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

I would like to nominate the immortal Jack Jones, who stole Bill Murray's bad lounge act parody and parlayed it into a career of impressive crapsuckiness, for his version of "Every Breath You Take".

"I'm here all week, tell your friends".

Return Of The Killer Bs

2008-03-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

The B-52's latest release, "Funplex", is their first studio album in 16 years. The album picks up pretty much where the Bs left off, with "Love Shack" type tempos and party attitudes in many of the songs.

"Juliet Of The Spirits" stands out. It's no coincidence that Fred Schneider is absent on this cut. Throughout the rest of the album, Fred Schneider's voice is a distracting irritant rather than a highlight.

Walking the line between campy and cool is a difficult challenge that Fred and The B-52s have done so often I have come to expect it. But that spirited nuance is missing in Schneider's voice on this record. Too bad. "Deviant Ingredient" sounds great until Fred chimes in. Almost sounds as if he is reading off a cue card at times.

A couple of live versions round out the album. "Private Idaho" and "Planet Claire", both recorded during a show at the Roxy, prove that the B-52s can still kick it live!

Two Cougars and Five Daves Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

2008-03-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Madonna, John Mellencamp and The Dave Clark Five take top honors at the March 10 ceremony.

With more than 200 million albums sold, Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the very first year of her eligibility.

The induction of 60's "British Invasion" rockers, The Dave Clark Five, came less than two weeks after losing lead singer Mike Smith to pneumonia at age 64.

"Heartland rocker" John "Cougar" Mellencamp was also inducted along with "rock and roll poet" Leonard Cohen and the 1960s surf band band The Ventures. Mellencamp took the stage to sing his 1984 single "Authority Song."

Iggy Pop and The Stooges performed at The Material Girl's request at the ceremony- the Godfather of Punk saluting the ultimate 80s commercial icon.

Lampooning Duran Duran

2008-03-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

Those god awful videos from the 80s finally get their due in these hilarious parodies!

New Moon on Monday

Wild Boys

Union of the Snake

Elvis Is Alive!

2008-03-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

The rerelease of Elvis Costello & The Attraction's "This Year's Model" (Deluxe Edition) is a revelation. The newly remastered 1978 album features bonus tracks that rival or surpass the studio versions. Included are liner notes from Elvis, complete lyrics and archival photos.

Among the jewels here are "The Beat" (Live), "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" (Live) and "Watching the Detectives" (Live). Each of these versions capture an immediacy and energy not found on the album versions. The keyboards are more prominent and sound more improvised, playing off of a darker lead guitar. Elvis sounds indignant and snotty, as you would expect but with a bit more sneer in his voice.

There are 40 tracks in all on this revamped classic.

The Clash LIVE!

2008-02-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a preview of The Clash - Live: Revolution Rock, which airs on PBS starting next week and hits stores on April 15. Check www.theclashonline.com to find the PBS airing in your market.

The Revolution Rock DVD follows the live transformation of the band, incorporating footage from all phases of The Clash's meteoric career, beginning with live-in-the-studio clips from 1979, through triumphant concerts from clubland (London's The Music Machine, 1978) and theatres (The Lyceum, 1978, 1980), climaxing with a transcendent blow-out performance at New York's Shea Stadium in 1982. The DVD also includes rare footage of the band’s performance on The Tom Snyder Show and on ABC’s Fridays.

TV Airing Schedule for So Cal:

Saturday, March 01, 9:00 PM
KCET - Channel 28

Saturday, March 01, 9:00 PM
KCET HD [D]

Thursday, March 06, 9:30 PM
KCET - Channel 28

Thursday, March 06, 9:30 PM
KCET HD [D]

Friday, March 07, 2:00 AM
KCET - Channel 28

Friday, March 07, 2:00 AM
KCET HD [D]

Sunday, March 09, 11:30 PM
KCET - Channel 28

Sunday, March 09, 11:30 PM
KCET HD [D]

Once!

2008-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

"Once" is the little movie that could!

Shot in Ireland over three weeks for a paltry hundred thousand dollars, the movie and it's soundtrack have gone on to garner critical acclaim, box office success and now, an Academy award for best original song for "Falling Slowly".

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who starred in and created the soundtrack, gave a heartfelt acceptance speech.

"This is such a big deal, not only for us, but for all independent musicians and artists who spend so much of their time struggling," said Irglova. "No matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible ... this song was written was from a perspective of hope, and at the end of the day, hope connects us all."

Once is available on DVD and the soundtrack can be downloaded on iTunes and other music sites.

Blender Gives Props

2008-02-18T08:26:00.001-08:00

The much maligned Blender Magazine has named among it's Top 209 Songs Of 2007;

Arcade Fire- "No Cars Go", "Keep The Car Running"
Bloc Party- "I Still Remember"
The Shins- "Phantom Limb"
Arctic Monkeys- "Brianstorm"
The Bravery- "Time Won't let Me Go"
Interpol- "The Heinrich Maneuver"
Klaxons- "Gravity's Rainbow"
Tegan And Sara- "Back In Your Head"
Kings Of Leon- "On Call"
Modest Mouse- "Little Motel"
Babyshambles- "Delivery"

As much as I might want to argue some of these choices (and no mention of The Cribs, The Cinematics or Shiny Toy Guns), it's nice to see Next Wave music getting some props.

Arcade Fire's Neon Bible album was ranked 2nd best of the year.

http://www.blender.com/The25BestAlbumsof2007/articles/10512.aspx

Bob Mould and Hüsker Dü

2008-02-06T17:59:00.001-08:00

Before there was Nirvana, Grunge or the current crop of Daughtry/Nickelback sound-a-likes, there was Bob Mould and Hüsker Dü.

Mould, Hüsker Dü and later, Sugar, helped pave the way for the wall of guitar, angst filled rock that now dominates the "alternative" scene and did it better than most of these Johnny-come-latelys. Bob showed that hard edged rock and subtlety can live together in the same song- something that is lost on today's crop of axe grinding, over the top, guitar heroes.

Mould just released a new album, "District Line". He's still got a great voice to which his signature guitar sound, as always, serves as a melodic backdrop (what a concept).

Check out "The Silence Between Us" and "Stupid Now" if you get a chance. "Stupid Now" is the song Disturbed WISHES they could make!

Speaking of old punk rockers, The Sex Pistols have been confirmed as one of the headliners for this year's Exit Festival in Serbia.

John Lydon and band will top the bill at the Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad on July 13. Tickets are currently on sale. The Pistols have already announced they will be one of the headliners at this year's Isle of Wight Festival, and are rumored to be among the acts playing this year's Glastonbury.

iLike It!

2008-02-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

If you're an iTunes aficionado or just a music lover, iLike.com is a necessity. If you don't yet use iTunes it's time to get on the bus!

iLike is a free program that attaches a sidebar to your iTunes program. The sidebar constantly updates as you play music.

Recent activity such as planned concerts and new releases by the artist you are currently playing are displayed. It also gives you access to download free mp3s, tells you what your iLike "friends" are listening to and gives you access you your own custom iLike page on the web.

On your custom iLike page, a running tabulation of the songs you have listened to recently is updated by the minute. Your friends can peruse your iTunes playlists and sample them as well. You can compile a list of your favorite artists, give opinions on songs and you can send songs and messages to other iLike users.

iLike has over 15 million users and is growing exponentially. It looks to be the ultimate online social networking site for music lovers worldwide.

Old Fish: Artists that have lasted way beyond their expiration date

2008-01-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

The B-52s Finally Dust Off Their Instruments

Sometimes it hurts to say goodbye. But nothing's more painful than watching your favorite band slowly fade into oblivion. It's not easy for the fan or the artist to realize that the dream is over.

But taking the high road and quitting now is a better alternative than becoming a complete, burned out parody. These artists should take their final bow and let us preserve our memories of what once was.

David Bowie

As a fan, it is painful to admit that the Starman hasn't done anything of much relevance since his 1982 smash hit "Let's Dance" album. Oh he comes up with an interesting musical idea once in a while but nothing that rivals his earlier work.

Even getting back together with producer Tony Visconti for a recent album couldn't help. Countless rehashed "greatest hits" packages from the last 20 years contain pretty much the same thing: the biggest songs from Bowie's first 10 years of popularity.

KISS

3 hit songs to show for a 25 plus year career. That's less hits than The Spice Girls had on their first album. Not that KISS hasn't tried but bombast, pyrotechnics and spandex does not always translate into compelling music. These guys make the career shortened output of Kurt Cobain look positively prolific by comparison... and still they refuse to go away.

Credit Gene Simmon's marketing acumen for their continued popularity and the fact that as a group, KISS has unashamedly whored their likenesses out to license more merchandise than anyone.

B- 52s

The band that made kitsch cool has overstayed their welcome. Their 1989 hit, "Love Shack", was a one off, filler song that was recorded on a lark. It should have been their swan song but turned into their biggest hit ever. The fluke spurt of popularity instantly revoked the "do not resuscitate" order on their careers.

To show their appreciation, they released 1992's ironically named "Good Stuff" album (see if you can remember a song from it) and not much else. The B- 52s first studio album in 16 years is due out this March. It took them that long to think of something new to say?

The Rolling Stones

The "World's Greatest Rock And Roll Band" is as irrelevant as your first pager. Not that since 1981's "Tattoo You" album, the Stones haven't created some interesting music. "Saint Of Me", "Almost Hear You Sigh" and "Out Of Tears" are great songs.

Unfortunately, they also burdened us with claptrap like "Harlem Shuffle", "Love Is Strong" and "Rough Justice". It has taken them 26 years to release enough good material to fill one quality album.

As a touring act, The Stones can still rock the house. Especially when they play their stuff from the 60s and 70s.

Guns N Roses

The last great rock band quickly burned out after 1991's "Use Your Illusion" campaign. Erratic behavior, drug use and Axel Roses legendary stubbornness resulted in the band's virtual disintegration.

Axel refuses to give up the ghost and has sporadically toured with a line up of replacement players. His original band members have long since moved on to other projects. The rumored 2007 release of a new album called "Chinese Democracy" hasn't happened yet. Rose, not being one to rush into anything, has allegedly been working on the "new" album for 15 years.

More New Music From 80s New Wave Heroes

2008-01-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

The Queen Of Punk, Patti Smith, has a new iTunes Originals album out featuring an interesting version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Other recent releases:

Instant Karma- U2

#9 Dream- a-ha

The Man Who Sold the World- Midge Ure

White China- Midge Ure

The Walk (Live)- The Cure

Love- The Cure

New York Sidewalk- UB40

Scratch the Past- Echo and the Bunnymen

Marble Towers- Echo and the Bunnymen

Send Me an Angel- David Sterry

My Sharona- Doug Fieger

The Silence Between Us- Bob Mould

Beautiful - Taylor Dayne

Whole Thing- Big Blue Ball (Peter Gabriel)

Here's a small reminder of one of the things that made The 80s so great. The tragically under-appreciated English power rock trio, The Jam, performing one of their classics:

"That's Entertainment"

2007 A**HOLES OF THE YEAR: The RIAA

2007-12-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

The Recording Industry Of America has reached a new plateau in it's desperate attempt to increase profits.

For the past few years the RIAA has initiated over 20,000 lawsuits against many consumers it claims downloaded music illegally. Damages in the thousands are thrust upon unsuspecting music lovers who may have just a few songs on their computers that they can't account for. Earlier this year, a Minnesota woman was ordered to pay $220,000.00 for 24 songs she was sharing online.

Now The RIAA has decided that even if you simply copy music CDs that you already own onto your computer, you are breaking the law! In a federal case against Jeffrey Howell, of Scottsdale, Ariz., the Industry maintains that the 2,000 or so songs on Howell's computer constitute copyright infringement. Never mind that Howell paid for all the songs and wasn't sharing them with anyone.

According to the RIAA web site: "If you make unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings, you're stealing. You're breaking the law and you could be held legally liable for thousands of dollars in damages." The RIAA apparently sees illegal downloading and file sharing online and making a "personal use" copy of music you already paid for, as equally egregious acts.

The Industry is too short sighted to realize that, by limiting copying of music for personal use, their product loses much of it's value. How many people would buy CDs if they couldn't transfer them to listen on their iPods, on their computers or keep a copy in their cars? Lessening the value by restricting use can only weaken demand, negatively effect sales and bottom line profit.

According to Ray Beckerman, a New York lawyer who represents six clients who have been sued by the RIAA, "The basic principle in the law is that you have to distribute actual physical copies to be guilty of violating copyright."

The Industry promises to continue shooting itself in the foot. They "will continue to bring lawsuits" against those who "ignore years of warnings," RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy said in a statement.

Unfortunately, The RIAA's rabid enforcement tactics are a negative publicity nightmare. And their latest legal crusade may backfire. A series of court rulings over the last few decades that found no violation of copyright law in the use of VCRs and other devices to make personal copies for the purpose of making portable a legally obtained recording.

The Boss Is Number Two!

2007-12-28T16:04:00.000-08:00

According to Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" is the second best album of 2007. RS credits The Boss for being "at his toughest and most focused, going for the grimly detailed style of 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' and 'Nebraska'".

Great to see Bruce at the top of his game again, with The E Street Band in tow as they continue their current tour.

Material Girl To Be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

2007-12-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

In 1996, Madonna was invited to present David Bowie with his Hall Of Fame credentials and now she gets her own.

Madonna's debut single, "Everybody," was released twenty-five years ago in 1982. She will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, along with John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five.The induction ceremony will take place on March 10th, 2008 at New York's Waldorf Astoria.

Among the artists who were nominated this year but did not get in are the Beastie Boys (who were eligible for the first time) and Donna Summer.

Past Inductees:

2007
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Patti Smith, R.E.M., The Ronettes, Van Halen

2006
Black Sabbath, Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols

2005
Buddy Guy, Percy Sledge, The O'Jays, The Pretenders, U2

2004
Bob Seger, George Harrison, Jackson Browne, Prince, The Dells, Traffic, ZZ Top

2003
AC/DC, Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Righteous Brothers, The Clash, The Police