not much

my ipod was relentless on my way to the office this morning. every song had a memory or feeling attached and with each one all i could think was what happened to that girl? where is the girl who hung out with that bagel delivery guy in berkeley and learned to appreciate jethro tull? what happened to the girl who stayed in yves’ truck to finish listening to the tommy demos even after we had parked? where did the girl go who worked on avenue a and went out every night and enjoyed seeing bands? is it age? is it burnout? does it just happen this way?

the girl subletting my guest room is 22 and just got out of college. a really good college, too. maybe that’s what brought all this on. i feel like i blinked and ten years went by. but i also feel like ive done so much this year and made so many decisions and started on new routes that even if the next 10 years go by just as fast, i wont go through it without knowing what happened. maybe that’s what your twenties are for, wasting time. i did have fun, though, for a long time. maybe i just waited too long.

sony/atv publishing has forbidden their agent from licensing their catalog for streaming music or limited downloads.  basically, the digital arena is saying that an streaming or interactive stream is not the same as a recorded piece of music, or as its qualified in the legal terms a “digital phonorecord delivery”  as i understand it, the Digital Media is saying we’re not delivering a finished product so it doesnt need to be licensed.  this would mean that they would only need a performance license.  basically, unless im mistaken, it would mean that streaming audio would have the same properties as radio.

i dont necessarily see anything wrong with this.  streaming mp3s, technically they arent really delivering a product.  limited downloads, i mean, are they talking about free downloads?  the only thing i wonder about is how this affects the songwriter, especially if the writer isnt the performer.  

i wonder if there is a trend towards buyouts these days since record companies are flailing? then the record company would retain publishing rights. 

so americans were willing to pay more for radiohead’s new album than other countries and over half of the people who downloaded it did it for free.  is it because it is digital?  if there were a box of CDs and a donation box would people put more money in because they know that a physical something has intrinsic costs that a digital something doesnt?  even though the majority of costs involved in creating a record go towards somethings that arent physical somethings?  i mean really, you are paying a one-time fee for the time involved in the creation of the music when you buy the record.  it is a physical manifestation of something intangible that has an arbitrary value placed on it.  really it should work like royalties, you should pay pennies every time you listen to it.  that would be huge.  can you imagine?

so what does all of this mean?  and what will this mean going forward? 

this is also interesting because it comes on the heels of a canadian study that shows absolutely no correlation between peer-to-peer downloading and physical product sales. 

i cant get my head around it just yet.  so digital distribution isnt the answer and “getting it out there” isnt the answer…is there an answer?

im not a huge van halen fan by any means, but i do appreciate the rock enough and i do have some really huge emotional memories attached especially to their album 1984, listening to the record at friends houses, seeing the videos on mtv, and plus who can forget the animated hamburger scene from better off dead?  i still think of the words “pat pig” when i hear someone say the words fat pig.  not that i hear those words a lot, but, i mean, you know…anyway, i was happy and excited to see a good review of their dress rehearsal in LA.

special note to josh here, theres a picture of the set list on the link and apparently they played jamie’s cryin.  made me think of the new year’s eve quiz last year when i failed miserably at knowing it was actually their song.  anyway, if tickets arent a million dollars, i might consider it.  it’s actually fairly exciting.

now im hardly old enough to start complaining about the old days, BUT what act today could do a reunion tour in 20 years and make half the excitement that this does for a lot of people?  even if youre not into it, it’s a fucking SHOW.  arena shows should be a thrill.  otherwise it’s boring as hell to sit a mile away from the stage. anyway, i cant think of anyone causing the stir that this or many of the other reunions that are happening.  to clarify, i dont think that reunions are all that hot.  or if they do reunite, put on a good show and then walk away again.  nobody wants a new record by your band, honestly. 

long and short of it, november 13th, MSG anyone?

first rufus wainwright album–fresh and vibrant.

latest rufus wainwright album–leaden and sluggish.

ive only listened to it twice, and im sure rufus could care less what i think.  but, frankly, im disappointed.  not one song stands out. 

i dont go to so many shows anymore. mostly because i find 99% of them to be a complete waste of time. however, i did go see the always fabulous art brut last night

they are really great. my friends dawn and erin insist that the singer kept saying “ready art bruts?” which is ridiculous because a) he just didnt say it and b) they arent each an art brut who form the group the art bruts, they are a collective art brut. and c) every time i have ever seen them, he says “ready art brut?” before most songs.

anyone who thinks that digital media will ever completely replace physical product is misguided. maybe i belong to a minority of people on this one (and in general, i do belong to a minority of people) but whenever i buy a new book or record or dvd the first thing i do is unwrap it and look at the booklet or CD itself or flip through the pages (trying not to read anything, but im never too bothered if i do) it’s like they say about food, you eat with your eyes as well as your mouth (or fingers, whatever) i think it is true that at a certain point even for me it has become a question of “how much do i want it?” that determines if i buy the actual product or just download the song.

today i got in the mail my copy of the new dont look back 65 tour deluxe edition. i swear i was just about drooling as i tore the plastic off, even stopping to make sure i didnt rip the sticker on the plastic so i could look at it after i had examined the dvd. you guys, it’s awesome. there’s a little pocket sized paperback book (very of-the-times–is there a french term that would have worked better there?) which features a full transcript of the movie. also there is a little flip book of the subterranean homesick blues movie/video with dylan flipping the cue cards. the packaging is paper, not glossy , foldout with little pockets and slots for the special bonuses. interestingly, there is not a speck of plastic in the packaging. the DVDs are set in cardboard with a little piece of foam to hold them in at the center.

i cant believe i am reviewing the packaging here, but i suppose it just goes to show how much of an experience buying a dvd or cd can be. further to my point that physical product is not going anywhere. at least not until im dead.

i guess it’s rather selfish of me, since ive been to these clubs and seen my fair share of shows there, but when i see stories like this, it’s hard for me to get too choked up.  i think maybe i am jaded or just bored, but none of the venues that have closed have really saddened me.  i think part of it too is that it’s only natural for these clubs to close down and new places to open up.  new generations and all that.  there is such a thing as cultural history, yes, but i mean really.  if lincoln center was torn down and they opened up a new hall for operas and symphonies it would be great.  it’s not as if CBGBs was a great place, or luna lounge, or sin-e.  i saw some great shows at all of these places, but it wasnt the place that made them great.  actually, im not positive i ever saw a great show at CBGBs.  that place was the nastiest dump i think ive ever been in.  and ive been in some pretty nasty dumps.