Music News

Wilco (The Album)

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:08:00 PDT

At first glance, it might seem odd that Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy would choose this point in his band's career to release a self-titled album. After all, Wilco has been through numerous personnel changes during the course of 15 years and seven albums. But the band's current six-member lineup, together five years and responsible for 2007's stunning "Sky Blue Sky," is its strongest to date—and "Wilco (The Album)" is as well-rounded an effort as the group has released. The humorous, self-referential
"Wilco (The Song)" opens the gateway to a carnival of rock, as Tweedy sees it. Windows-down anthemic pop like "You Never Know" sits alongside the tense, textural rocker "One Wing" and the dark, pulsating murder-escape drama "Bull Black Nova." More contemplative fare like the spare "Solitaire" and "You and I"—a duet with Canadian singer/songwriter Feist—balances out the album. And thus Wilco, showing no signs of creative stagnancy, soldiers on with one of the more fascinating careers in modern American rock.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Michael Jackson Dominates Euro Chart

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:07:00 PDT

Michael Jackson achieves unique pan-European sales domination this week with the top four titles on European Top 100 Albums, and five of the top six. "When Love Takes Over" (Positiva/EMI) by French DJ David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland climbs 3-1 on European Hot 100 Singles.

Epic/Sony Music Entertainment's Jackson catalog dominates the sales picture via a variety of compilations. "King of Pop" comes out on top, climbing 24-1 on the new
composite survey, after re-entering the German chart at No. 1 and re-emerging at No. 4 in Italy.

"The Essential Michael Jackson" climbs 69-2 overall, fuelled by a 20-1 climb in the United Kingdom on sales of 69,000. "The Collection" makes a composite 49-3 climb, moving 22-1 in France, 29-1 in Flanders, 40-1 in neighboring Wallony and 3-1 in Denmark. 1982's classic "Thriller" is up 31-4 overall and his "Number Ones" anthology 10-6.

Elsewhere on the pan-European top ten, Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies)" (Interscope/Universal) falls 2-5, Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" (Reprise/Warner Music) 4-7, Lady Gaga's "The Fame" (Interscope/Universal) 5-8 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's "Greatest Hits" (Columbia/Sony Music Entertainment) 3-9.

Last week's No. 1 on European Too 100 Albums, Dream Theater's "Black Clouds and Silver Linings" (Roadrunner), tumbles to No. 10.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Jay-Z Salutes Michael Jackson At Connecticut Show

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:48:58 PDT

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut — Jay-Z's rep says that the MC's recent run of dates isn't really a proper tour, but it doesn't matter fans always come out to see Hov because, like Michael Jordan in his prime, there's always a chance that they'll see something that hasn't been done before.

One thing fans didn't see at the Mohegan Sun casino resort in Connecticut on Friday night was Ciara, who'd opened other shows on this short string of dates but

cancelled due to an unspecified illness. Instead, they got a set from Lupe Fiasco and a brief one from other tour opener Fabolous.

The two got the crowd primed for Jay, who took the stage dressed all in black and wearing a T-shirt that said "D.O.A." — which was also the name of song he opened with (a.k.a "Death of Auto-Tune," the recently released track from his forthcoming Blueprint 3 LP), followed with a triumphant "Show Me What You Got."

Memphis Bleek came out onstage shortly after. "R.O.C., we running this rap sh--," Jay said. "Tell me when you ready, Bleek."

"I'm ready!" Jay's longtime, loyal stage-right man answered.

They launched into the almost decade-old "U Don't Know" which felt as crisp as it did when it first came out. "Blue Magic" followed, with fans yelling along with the lines, "Money over broads ... f--- Bush." That transitioned neatly into a triumphant performance of Hov's verse from Young Jeezy's "My President" remix. A montage of pictures of President Obama filled the huge screen behind Jay while his band blared. Improvising, Jay shouted out, "I'm headed to C.T./ Anybody feel me?/ I like the energy."

Hov later took it back to The Black Album for the rarely performed "Allure." Midway through the record, the band switched up the beat and went into "Flashing Lights." "That's my favorite joint to perform, by the way," he revealed to the audience after the song.

"Roc Boys" came next — followed by the guitar lick from the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" before transitioning into the beat for "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" Photos of Michael Jackson appeared on his screen as Jay paid the singer tribute, as he had in Chicago earlier in the week.

"Let's not wait to mourn death, let's celebrate life," Jay urged the crowd. He went to tell the crowd that fans have given Michael Jackson a great outpouring of love since he died, which the King of Pop hadn't gotten to see in recent years.

"I need y'all tonight. Let's celebrate life," Jay said.

Jay finished off the set strong with a series of gems: "Swagga Like Us," "Jigga My N---a," "N---a What, N---a Who (Originator 99)," "Big Pimpin' " (you could feel the floor shaking for that one), "Can I Get A ..." and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder." Jay then said, "Peace and love," and the stage went black.

It was obvious that the show wasn't over, but the crowd kept chanting, "Hova!"

"I ain't even gonna make y'all wait tonight," he said, coming back onstage quickly. He told a story about how he was in Las Vegas recently and decided to rap the intro for Blueprint 3. He figured what happened in Vegas would stay in Vegas, but footage of his raps got out on the net (Jay did perform the same intro in Chicago), so since he figured everybody already heard the rhymes, he he wasn't going to do them. Kidding! Of course he was going to say the lines that have been causing Game to call him out at concerts overseas.

"We talkin' about real sh-- or we talkin' about rhymes?" he rapped. "Y'all talkin' about millions or y'all just talkin' about mines? ... I ain't talkin' about Game, I ain't talkin' about Jimmy/ I ain't talkin' about Dame/ I'm talkin' about real sh--, them people playin'/ What is you talkin' about? I don't know what y'all sayin'? ... Ain't nothin' cool about carryin' a strap, about worryin' your moms and buryin' your best cat/ Talkin' about revenge ..."

He stumbled for a split second, seemingly forgetting a line, but then went back in.

"Talkin' about revenge/ While you carryin' his casket/ All teary-eyed about to take it to a mattress ... People keep talkin' about how Hov left 'em flat/ Trying to rewrite history, let's talk about facts/ Dame made millions, even Jaz made some scraps/ He could've made more, but he ain't sign his contract/ And as far as street guys, I mean, we was dealin' crack/That's how the game goes, I don't owe nobody jack/ Grown men want me to sit 'em on my lap/ But I don't have a beard and Santa Claus ain't black."

A Roc medley came after, highlighted by "You, Me, Him and Her," where Jay and Memph Bleek shouted out Beanie Sigel but, as always, mocked former Roc-A-Fella artist Amil. "Amil-lee-on, gone!"

Michael Jackson got another shout-out on "Give It To Me" — "Ladies love me long time like M.J.'s soul" — and then Jigga closed out with "Encore."

"I hope the [gaming] tables are as good to me as you were," he told the crowd before leaving.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

LAPD: Michael Jackson's Drug History To Be Probed

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:19:00 PDT

Detectives investigating the death of Michael Jackson are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors, the Los Angeles police chief said.

Chief William Bratton told CNN that police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive" investigation into the sudden death of the 50-year-old pop star two weeks ago.

The coroner's report will determine the cause of death and hinges on time-consuming toxicology tests.

"Based on those we'll have an idea of what we're dealing with," Bratton said on Thursday. "Are we dealing with homicide? Are we dealing with an accidental overdose? What are we dealing with?"

Bratton said detectives are gathering evidence, including items seized from Jackson's rented home and arranging interviews with his many physicians, but the police chief deferred to the coroner to determine the cause of death.

"The next move really is his," Bratton said. "We're not marking time waiting for his report."

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the state attorney general's office, which keeps a database of prescription drugs, are assisting investigators.

An attorney for Dr. Arnold Klein, one of Jackson's many physicians, told the Los Angeles Times that the dermatologist was subpoenaed for medical records, which he turned over to the county coroner's office.

Bratton refused to discuss details of the case.

Jackson, who died June 25, had a well-known history of using prescription medications, especially painkillers. Following his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who had worked for Jackson, told the Associated Press she repeatedly rejected his demands for the potent anesthetic Diprivan, also known as Propofol.

Jackson had multiple doctors, friends and staff who came in and out of his life. Which people were being interviewed by police was unclear because the LAPD has said virtually nothing about the probe.

Police towed a doctor's car from Jackson's home hours after he died and said later it could contain medication or other evidence. Coroner's officials also said Jackson was taking prescription medication but declined to elaborate.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Daughtry Goes Back To Clubs For New Album Launch

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:48:25 PDT

Going back to the clubs to launch his band's sophomore album in August is neither foreign nor unwelcome for Chris Daughtry.

Before he became a finalist on "American Idol," Daughtry tells Billboard.com, "we played the clubs all the time, just like so many other bands. All I ever wanted to do was be in a successful rock band and play shows, so we really feel at home in (the clubs).
"
The Daughtry quintet starts a 13-date club (and theater) run on Aug. 2 at the House of Blues in Orlando, Fla., wrapping up Aug. 22 at Pure in Las Vegas. General public tickets for the jaunt go on sale July 11, with VIP packages available for pre-sale from July 8-10. Daughtry is also offering a free concert ticket to the first 50 fans in each market who pre-order the group's new album, "Leave This Town," at the DaughtryOfficial.com web site starting today (June 30).

"Leave This Town" was produced by Howard Benson, who also helmed 2006's five-times-platinum "Daughtry." Songwriting collaborators on the album include NIckelback's Chad Kroeger, and Evanescence founder Ben Moody, with a guest appearance by Vince Gill on the track "Tennessee Line." Exclusive versions of the album with bonus tracks will be available from iTunes, Target, Wal-Mart and on the Daughtry web site.

"You just want to make sure that people are aware of what you're doing now and...that you're putting out quality stuff and developing yourself as an artist and a songwriter and putting out great music," notes Daughtry, who hopes that a second album will further establish Daughtry as a band and not a solo act.

"We've tried to make sure that it's know that it's not just me," he says. "I've never been a solo artist. When the band doesn't get the credit that they deserve, it kinda bums me out a little bit. They're working just as hard as I am, if not more, up there. I think most people get it and others will...get it over time."

Daughtry's upcoming club tour dates are:

August 2: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)
August 4: Boston (Showcase Live)
August 7: Columbus, Ohio (LC Pavilion)
August 9: Minneapolis (The Cabooze)
August 11: Nashville (Cannery Ballroom)
August 12: Memphis (Minglewood Hall)
August 14: Houston (Warehouse Live)
August 16: Denver (The Gothic Theatre)
August 18: Phoenix (Marquee Theatre)
August 19: Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theatre)
August 20: San Francisco(The Fillmore)
August 22: Las Vegas (Pure)

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Sky Saxon, founder of The Seeds, has died

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:55:32 PDT

Band had a Top 40 hit in 1967 with ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’

AUSTIN, Texas - Sky Saxon, lead singer and founder of the 1960s band the “Seeds,” who had a Top 40 hit in 1967 with “Pushin’ Too Hard,” has died after a brief illness.

Publicist Jen Marchand said Saxon died Thursday but did not have other details. He was in his 60s.

The Seeds sprang up in California, and their garage-band sound with Saxon’s distinctive vocals became a favorite of the flower power generation. Another hit single of 1967 was “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” and their song “Mr. Farmer” was included in the soundtrack for the movie “Almost Famous.”
The Mick Jagger-influenced vocals by Saxon (born Richard Marsh) dominated the sound and in turn influenced later punk rockers.

“All the bikers around San Diego thought the Seeds were apocalypse, then,” famed rock critic Lester Bangs wrote in “The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll.” “I recall one hog-ridin’ couple ... who didn’t take the Seeds’ first album off their turntable for three solid months.”

Saxon had recently moved to Austin, where he played with his new band, Shapes Have Fangs.

He had been planning to perform this summer with the California ’66 Revue, a tour featuring a lineup of California bands from the 1960s.
Original Source :http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Ashley Tisdale gets edgy on new album

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:48:24 PDT

‘High School Musical’ star has new look, new songs in ‘Guilty Pleasure’

NEW YORK - Ashley Tisdale knows it sounds silly, but her new album has a lot to do with the color of her hair.

"For the last few years everyone has thought of me as Sharpay," the 23-year-old singer/actor says, referring to her blonde-and-bubbly character in Disney's smash "High School Musical" films.

"So after I'd finished all the promotion for 'High School Musical 3' I dyed my hair back to its original color. I'd been a blonde for five years; Disney wanted us to be those characters. But the new songs I was working on felt edgier, sort of back to how I was before 'High School Musical.' I wanted to show people a side of me they haven't seen before."

Tisdale accomplishes that — well, sort of — on "Guilty Pleasure," due July 28 from Warner Bros. Like her 2007 debut, "Headstrong" (which, according to Nielsen SoundScan, has sold 471,000 copies in the United States), the new 14-track set offers plenty of catchy choruses and lyrics about boys.

But with songwriting and production credits from "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi, among others, "Guilty Pleasure" is a more mature, guitar-driven outing than the dance-pop "Headstrong." In the opener, "Acting Out," she promises to "break these chains" over driving bubble-punk drums, while the lead single, "It's Alright, It's OK," could be the younger sister of Pink's "So What."

"A lot of the songs on the album are about survival and staying strong," says Tisdale, who co-wrote four cuts. "I really wanted it to be a statement and a reflection of what I've been through over the past year and how I've grown up."

Warner Bros. senior VP of marketing David Grant says the first component of the label's album rollout was revealing Tisdale's new look with a relaunch of her Web site in March and the cover of Cosmopolitan's April issue. "We wanted to create a conversation and then follow quickly with the music," he says.

According to Grant, "High School Musical" fans have aged along with Tisdale, and they still constitute a significant portion of her audience. "But she's taken it beyond that, too," he says. For "Headstrong" the label targeted tweens; this time, "we're definitely looking to teenage girls."

Social-networking technology plays a central role in the label's plans to reach that demographic. Tisdale is an especially avid Twitterer, with more than 750,000 followers.

"She's very protective of it in terms of it sounding authentic," according to Warner Bros. senior VP of new media Jeremy Welt. "There have been a couple of times where we've said to her, 'Hey, why don't you mention so-and-so?' and she's told us, 'I wouldn't say that.'" (What would she say? One recent Tweet read, "Happy fathers day!!! Goin to dinner with my family and the most amazing dad ever! I love you daddy!")

Facebook and MySpace also figure into Warner's new-media campaign, the latter particularly as an "important streaming partner," Welt says. MySpace is streaming two tracks from "Guilty Pleasure," and Grant expects the site to feature the entire album before release date.

In the realm of retail, Grant says Target and Wal-Mart will sell exclusive editions of the album with bonus material, while a direct-to-consumer version will feature six posters and two extra songs.

Once "Guilty Pleasure" is out, Tisdale says she hopes to tour the United States and Europe (where the set was released earlier this month). "This album is so important to me," she says. "I really want to support it as much as I can. You put your heart and soul into something and it makes you a little bit vulnerable. It is who I am — hopefully people will like that."
Original Source :http://

Michael Jackson’s lyrics tell a hard story

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:44:52 PDT

Sealed in the grooves were tales of deceit, paranoia, violence, victimization

NEW YORK - In the brief, electric prime of Michael Jackson, millions danced to "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and other songs so propulsive it almost didn't matter what they actually said.

But the lyrics — whether Jackson's or others' — could be as disturbing as the music was liberating. Sealed in the grooves were tales of deceit, paranoia, violence and victimization.

Even before his life broke apart and the tabloids bore down, Jackson sang like a boy-man under attack.

"You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it," he warns on "Thriller," the title track to his all-time selling album and written by Rod Temperton. "You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes/You're paralyzed."
Jackson was almost 21 when his first "adult" record, "Off the Wall," came out in 1979. He had survived the childhood beatings and insults by his father and had already lived at least one life in show business, as the smiling, spinning prodigy fronting his brothers in the Jackson Five.

"Off the Wall" sold millions and shed the catchy, but impersonal persona of his child star youth. The title track, written by Temperton, was a lighthearted introduction to what would become Jackson's truest subjects: his strange life and the stolen innocence he wanted back. "The world is on your shoulder," the song advises, but "life ain't so bad at all/If you live it off the wall."

‘It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right’
He would soon fire his father as his manager and vow that his next record, "Thriller," would make him the biggest star in the business — a promise met like few others. "Thriller" sold more than 20 million copies initially and sales now top 50 million. It earned him the title he bestowed on himself, "The King of Pop," and offered the first full take from the throne.

"Michael Jackson wrote songs for one great artist — which was himself," says Diane Warren, the Grammy-winning songwriter who has written for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson and Mary J. Blige.
Warren says Jackson also picked great songs by other writers — see "Thriller" — and "was an amazing interpreter" of them. Among his songbook, she spots a theme of defiance and toughness that perhaps acted as protective armor.

Music producer Glen Ballard was in the studio with Jackson and Quincy Jones for the making of "Thriller," and worked on the later "Bad" and "Dangerous" albums, co-writing the songs "Man in the Mirror" and "Keep the Faith."

"As he grew up and matured as an artist, his lyric writing had this sort of air of mystery about it," Ballard says. "He still knew how to write hooks — he just knew how to communicate that way — but he sort of created this vocabulary" that was darker, surreal and futuristic.

The bouncy duet with Paul McCartney, "The Girl Is Mine," is an interracial love triangle. The hard rock "Beat It," set to the switchblade guitar runs of Eddie Van Halen, is an anthem of pacifism, or passivity, with Jackson pleading to stop a gang war — and perhaps all wars — because "It doesn't matter who's wrong or right."

‘The kid is not my son’
The singer in "Billie Jean" has been taken by a girl he meets on the dance floor and later claims has borne him a child. "Billie Jean is not my lover," he chants, teeth clenched. "She's just a girl who claims that I am the one/But the kid is not my son."

Jackson's "Billie Jean" lyrics are paranoid, defiant and "cool," Warren says.
"Maybe in a way he wanted to be left alone," she suggests, noting the trauma of his missing childhood.

If so, Jackson did not give that impression in the recording studio, according to Ballard. He remembers Jackson as "very shy" around people he'd just met, but when he felt comfortable, he was funny and fun to be around. He was collaborative yet focused on his larger musical vision. He moved and grooved, feeling the music. When Ballard and others hosed him with water guns on his birthday, Jackson grabbed a water gun and joined in.

Ballard had no idea about Jackson's life outside the studio. As for "Billie Jean," he can't point to any real-life experience or demons within the pop legend's psyche.

"It's just this incomplete portrait that you can fill in however you want and you can see it as this huge, mysterious, sort of tragic story or something," he says of the 1983 chart topper.
Original Source :http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Drake Signs To Young Money, Distribution By Universal Republic

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:21:14 PDT

Looks like Universal was the victor in the bidding war for Drake after all.

While sources close to the deal predicted Universal Motown was the closest to snagging him, the Toronto-born rapper officially signed to Young Money with distribution through another Universal label -- Universal Republic -- yesterday (June 29). His debut album, "Thank Me Later," with reported collaborations with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z, is slated for a late 2009 release.

"Just know that whatever label we sign to it'll be because they'll add to what we've created on our own," Drake, told Billboard.com last month. "I am very happy in my situation now, which is signed to Cortez [Bryant] and Gee Roberson at Young Money and management through 'Hip Hop Since 1978.' The most important thing for me is being around my team - they are stronger than any label."

This summer, look for Drake on tour with Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and Soulja Boy Tell'em as part of the "Young Money Presents: Americas Most Wanted Music Festival" trek.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Jay-Z Confirms Roc Nation Deals With Sony, Atlantic

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:31:54 PDT

As previously reported, Jay-Z has inked a distribution deal with Sony for his Roc Nation label, the Brooklyn-born rapper confirmed to Billboard last week.

"Sony is Roc Nation. That's where Roc Nation's going through," Jay-Z told Billboard.com on Friday (June 29).

As for the deal he recently signed with Atlantic, he clarifies that it is a one-off situation for his upcoming album, "Blueprint 3," slated for a September 11th release.

"That's pretty much just for this specific album. Roc Nation -- we're experts in marketing and making records. But we do distribution deals," he says. "On this one, we're working directly with the Atlantic staff, which is Julie [Greenwald], Lyor [Cohen], Kevin [Liles] and Kyse [Mike Kyser]. For the rest of the Roc Nation artists, we did a distribution deal with Sony."

Jay-Z also told Billboard he originally approached Def Jam with the same distribution deal idea four years ago, but was shut down. "You have to figure, this is like four years ago, and to them it was just like, 'Are you crazy? No! Make a song!'" he said. "To me it was like, I've sold companies for huge amounts of money. I'm an entrepreneur -- that's what I've been all my life. I can't just sit here and make records and not do anything else. Why wouldn't you want to do this with me? I felt under-utilized."

When his Def Jam contract was nearing expiration and he had one last album to release with the label (in this case, "Blueprint 3"), Jay-Z opted to buy himself out of the contract for a reportedly $5 million price tag.

In related news, Jay-Z, who performed during this year's BET Awards on Sunday (June 28)
(http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/beyonce-new-edition-maxwell-to-perform-michael-1003988556.story), released the video to his "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-tune)" video after the show, as part of BET's post show. The clip features guest appearances from Lyor Cohen, head of Warner Music Group which houses Atlantic Records, basketball player Lebron James and actor Harvey Keitel.

Original Source :http://

Michael Jackson Rocks Billboard Charts

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:23:12 PDT

Michael Jackson is about to rock the Billboard charts.

Nielsen SoundScan's sales numbers won't be released until Wednesday (July 1) morning, but industry prognosticators indicate that three of Jackson's albums -- "Number Ones," "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" -- each sold around 100,000 copies last week. The sales tracking week ended at the close of business on Sunday (June 28) night.

To compare, Jackson's entire catalog of solo albums sold 10,000 in the week that ended June 21.

The aforementioned titles will also be the top three albums on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog chart, and Jackson may lock up anywhere between six to nine slots in tally's the top 10.

Other Jackson albums looking to make a big splash on the chart include "Off the Wall, "Bad," "Dangerous" and his box set "The Ultimate Collection." Additionally, two Jackson 5 compilations -- "The Ultimate Collection" and "20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection" -- are both doing brisk business.

Previously, the record for the most concurrent top 10 titles by an act was five. Both AC/DC and the Beatles managed that feat. There is also the chance that the entire top 10 on the Pop Catalog chart may be filled with Jackson-related titles, counting the two Jackson 5 compilations.

Last week's No. 1 on the Pop Catalog chart was TobyMac's "Portable Sounds" with 9,000 copies sold. The Pop Catalog chart, established in 1991, houses albums that are at least 18 months old. Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 albums chart, though they can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list.

Last year, Jackson's expanded reissue of "Thriller" pushed the set to a re-entry at No. 1 on the Pop Catalog tally with 166,000 copies sold in its first week.

With the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." looking to recapture the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 chart with slightly less than 100,000, this week will mark the first time a catalog album has sold more than the No. 1 current release.

The bulk of Jackson's album sales came from digital retailers, as many brick and mortar stores quickly ran out of available stock. Sources say his "Essential Michael Jackson," "Number Ones" and "Thriller" each sold more than 30,000 digital albums, with "Essential" moving more than 70,000 downloads alone.

The digital impact will also be felt on our Hot Digital Songs chart, where the King of Pop is certain to make a big splash. His digital track sales went from about 40,000 the week ending June 21 to around 1.8 million last week. His top sellers will include "Man in the Mirror," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Billie Jean" and "Smooth Criminal."

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Exclusive: Fake Drake Album Sold On iTunes, Lawsuit Planned Against Labe

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:57:01 PDT

Drake is such a hot artist that one of his albums is selling even though he didn't release it.

An unauthorized album, "The Girls Love Drake," which features selections from the Toronto rapper's mixtape "So Far Gone" and other tracks, was
released May 28th by a label called Canadian Money Entertainment and distributed by the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazo

Drake's camp, which is still trying to clear the samples on "So Far Gone" and his two other mixtapes in hopes of selling them in stores, says it didn't authorize the release.

If it hadn't been disqualified on the grounds that it wasn't confirmed as being an official album, "The Girls Love Drake" would have debuted this week at No. 101 on the Billboard 200, No. 16 on the Digital Albums chart and No. 1 on the Heatseekers tally. "Best I Ever Had" and "Every Girl" (credited to Young Money), two tracks on the mixtape that have previously charted, appear on this week's Hot Digital Songs chart thanks to downloads of "The Girls Love Drake." Additionally, "Best I Ever Had" jumps 60-18 on the Billboard 200, while "Every Girl" leaps 75-35, although chart experts predict they will both drop again once the unofficial album is no longer available.

After finding the album on iTunes, Drake's management sent a cease-and-desist notice to the retailer, which has since removed it. At press time, the album was still available on Rhapsody and Amazon, although Drake's manager Al Branch says he's having it removed from these retailers as well.
"This is a straight bootleg, a scandal. We are behind promoting records at radio, but haven't sold it," Al Branch, Drake's manager, tells Billboard.com. "iTunes' position is that they are a store and they stock everything. They have a waiver and as long as people sign it and are responsible for the product they submit, then they go for it."

Branch also says that Drake plans to file a lawsuit against Canadian Money Entertainment, which he says isn't in connection with Drake or Young Money, the Lil Wayne-owned label that Drake is affiliated with. Drake is currently the subject of a major label bidding war and is close to signing with Universal Motown.

Peter Greenwood, the founder of Canadian Money Entertainment, says the company has been releasing mixtapes for unsigned artists since 2003 and their purposes in releasing "The Girls Love Drake" was never ill-intended. "'The Girls Love Drake' was just a combination of new and old songs that we had been promoting on the underground scene for the last six months and so we wanted to get more exposure for it on the net," he says. "Breaking him in the states along with other Toronto artists has always been our goal. Drake is our hometown hero."

Branch is concerned that Young Money or October's Own, Drake's label, could be sued since the samples on the mixtapes, which include beats on albums by David Banner, Goapele and Colun Munroe, haven't been cleared. But Greenwood says that he was unaware of the legalities of selling a mixtape on iTunes. "There were tracks produced for other artists that
Drake rapped over that were not cleared. While some songs were original, this was meant to be an underground project and not a major release," he says. "We tried to get the project out through a new platform on the digital level, but we were stopped before we could get started because mixtapes are not allowed on that level."

Moving forward, Greenwood says he will continue to promote his mixtapes the traditional, offline route, and if a lawsuit does indeed come his way he plans to deal with it head on.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Back on My B.S

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:04:28 PDT

Busta Rhymes' eighth studio album has been a long time coming, originally slated for release as early as late 2007 but held up by Rhymes' break with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope, which released 2006's Billboard 200-topping "The Big Bang." Now with Universal Motown, Rhymes seems to have used the wait time for market research; there's something for everyone on "Back on My B.S.," from the business plan of "Respect My Conglomerate" with Lil Wayne and Jadakiss,

to thumping sex-up "Sugar" featuring Jelly Roll, to club-jumper "Arab Money," which stands out not only for its exotic hook but for its culturally disconcerting lyrics. What there is not quite enough of is Rhymes himself—the deft MC is a bit crowded out by collaborators' mic turns and auto-tuned refrains. Those tunes that he owns, such as the Pharrell-produced, Jamaican-spun "Kill Dem," or even the verses Rhymes wrestles from Akon and T.I. in the energetic jam "Don't Believe Em," are the best evidence that the rapper is still one of the most skilled in the game.
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The Wind Blows

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:02:52 PDT

The All-American Rejects have the ability to release a thrashing rock song and turn around after their most successful hit with a momentous ballad. The Oklahoma band continues with the musical antithesis of their hit rock anthem "Gives You Hell," with "The Wind Blows." Singer Tyson Ritter has said the ballad is about a love story that just ends, but on a good note, with verses that are as enthralling as the choruses.

Morse code-like rhythmic pulses and an ambient midtempo pace carry the song, while its emotional grandeur pierces and howls with fragile falsetto moments and a progressive, somewhat dissonant guitar. Eric Valentine, who produced hits for Good Charlotte, Smash Mouth and Third Eye Blind, builds an elaborate framework for "The Wind Blows," showcasing the vocals, melody and instrumentation so that they retain AAR's rock signature but broaden the sound to capture mainstream attention.
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Eminem Stays Atop Billboard 200; Grizzly Bear, Manson Debut Top 10

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:22:13 PDT

After last week's blowout week on the Billboard 200 -- where there were seven debuts in the top 10 -- this week's tally is slightly tamer. While there are still three new albums that arrive in the top 10, the Hot Shot Debut is Marilyn Manson's "The High End Of Low" at No. 4 with 49,000. While it gives the band its sixth top 10 set, it arrives with the lowest opening week sum of any of its albums since the live effort "The Last Tour On Earth" began with 26,000 in 1999. The group's last studio release, 2007's "Eat Me, Drink Me," entered the list at No. 8 with 88,000.

Eminem's "Relapse" holds on to the No. 1 slot with ease, shifting 211,000 in its second week, down 65.3% from its whopping bow last week with 608,000. With 819,000 sold, "Relapse" has already become the fifth best-seller of the year. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" leads the pack with 1,173,000. So far, only two albums have shifted a million in 2009, "Fearless" and the "Hannah Montana: The Movie" soundtrack (1,004,000). At this point last year, believe it or not, only one album had surpassed a million -- Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static."

Back in the top 10 this week, Wisin and Yandel's "La Revolucion" debuts at No. 7 with 36,000. That marks the highest charting set on the Billboard 200 for the duo and their second-best opening sales week. The act's last set, "Wisin Vs. Yandel: Los Extraterrestres," entered at No. 14 with 53,000. Despite the lower sales frame for the new album it still opens at No. 7, making it the highest charting Spanish-language album since Mana's "Amar Es Combatir" debuted and peaked at No. 4 in September 2006 off an 87,000 opening sales week.

Indie rock band Grizzly Bear is having its best week ever as its third full-length studio set, "Veckatimest," arrives at No. 8 with 33,000. That's the first album to chart on the Billboard 200 for the Massachusetts band and it also gives the quartet its best sales week. 40% of its sales came from downloads while another 24% were shifted at independent and small chain stores.

Just outside the top 10 this week, country duo Montgomery Gentry sees its "For Our Heroes" album bow at No. 11 with 26,000. The set, a quasi-greatest hits package, was sold exclusively through Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the album will go to the Wounded Warrior Project charity.
Finally, here's a recap of the top 10 this week. Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" holds at No. 2 with 76,000 (down 54%) while the "Hannah Montana: The Movie" soundtrack climbs three slots to No. 3 with 52,000 (down 10%). Lady GaGa's "The Fame" skips up three positions to No. 5 with 45,000 (up less than 1%) while Kenny Chesney's "Greatest Hits II" falls three rungs to No. 6 with 43,000 (down 51%). Taylor Swift's "Fearless" flies up two slots to No. 9 with 33,000 (up 3%) and Rascal Flatts' "Unstoppable" rises from No. 12 to No. 10 with 27,000 (up 3%).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending May 31) totaled 5.75 million units, down 12.4% compared to the sum last week (6.57 million) and down 20.4% compared to the same sales week of 2008 (7.23 million). Year to date album sales stand at 148.7 million, down 14% compared to the same total at this point last year (172.8 million).
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Paul McCartney To Play First-Ever Shows at New Mets Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:34:41 PDT

Nearly 44 years after the Beatles performed the first concert held at New York’s historic Shea Stadium, Paul McCartney is set to christen the new home of the New York Mets – the Citi Field stadium in Queens, New York – with concerts on July 17 and July 18, it was announced today.

The two-night stand at Citi Field will mark McCartney’s first U.S. shows since his headline-grabbing, 2.5 hour set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in May.

Back in the summer of 1965, The Beatles famously broke in the Mets’ original home of Shea Stadium with a concert attended by over 55,000 fans, and in July of 2008, Sir Paul made a surprise appearance at Billy Joel's "Last Play at Shea" concert, the final show at the stadium before its closing in September.

"I am really excited about playing Citi Field," said McCartney in a statement. "The Beatles were the first to play at Shea Stadium and along with Billy Joel, I was the last to sing at the old Shea. So to be the first to play this stadium is incredible. I am really looking forward to a buzzing show."

Tickets for McCartney’s two-night stand, which is set to take place rain or shine, will be available June 15 at 10:00 a.m. ET at 507tixx.com and 718-507-TIXX.
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Miley Cyrus Plans 2009 Tour With Paperless Ticketing

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:28:55 PDT

Miley Cyrus, riding high on the success of her "Hannah Montana" film and soundtrack, has announced plans for a 45-date North American tour this fall. The tour, which features Metro Station as opening act, kicks off September 14 in Portland, Oregon and wraps up in Miami on December 2.

The tour is the teen star's first since the highly successful "Best of Both Worlds" trek in 2007-2008. That outing grossed $55,245,879 and sold 994,665 tickets to 70 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore.

Cyrus was named Breakthrough Artist at the 2008 Billboard Touring Awards. The tour was also notable for drawing attention to issues in the ticketing business,
as Cyrus’ concerts sold out immediately and tickets were quickly available on secondary ticketing sites, drawing the ire of parents and the scrutiny of public officials as to the number of tickets available to the general public and how the tickets end up on the resale market.

Ticketmaster is using the Cyrus tour to rollout its biggest experiment in paperless ticketing yet in an effort to limit ticket scalping. According to a press release, "All tickets will be sold exclusively through paperless ticket delivery which means fans will not receive a physical concert ticket for their entry into the event." Ticket buyers will be required to bring the credit card used making the purchase and a photo ID to the concert venue in order to gain entry. All groups must enter the concerts together, and ushers will issue "seat locator slips." Information about the paperless ticketing for the tour is available at ticketmaster.com/mileycyrus.

The 3D concert film of the tour, "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour," opened with $31 million last year, ending up with $65 million to become the biggest concert movie of all time.

This year's tour is presented by Walmart, which is launching a new apparel line with Cyrus and designer Max Azira in August.
An American Express presale runs from June 10-12, with tickets going on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, June 13th at 10:00 AM local. Ticket prices range from $39.50 – 79.50 plus fees and applicable service charges. Updated tour information is available at mileycyrus.com.
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Koko Taylor, Queen Of The Blues, Dies

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:18:12 PDT

Grammy Award-winning singer Koko Taylor, known worldwide as the "Queen of the Blues," died today (June 3) of complications following surgery, her long time record label Alligator announced on its website. She was 80.

Willie Dixon signed Taylor to Chess Records in 1962, and he produced several singles and two albums for her. Dixon also wrote "Wang Dang Doodle," Taylor's million selling 1965 hit that became her signature song.

Taylor moved to Alligator Records in 1975. Of her nine albums for the label, eight were nominated for Grammy awards. She won a Grammy in 1984 for her guest appearance on the compilation album "Blues Explosion" on Atlantic.

Taylor's last public performance was on May 7 in Memphis at the Blues Music Awards, where she sang "Wang Dang Doodle" after receiving her award for Traditional Blues Female Artist Of The Year.
Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Dave Matthews Band Headed For Fifth Straight No. 1 Album

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:11:36 PDT

Dave Matthews Band will likely bow at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week with "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King," which industry prognosticators are suggesting could sell as much as 390,000 in its first week. If it debuts at No. 1, the RCA set will be the band's fifth straight studio album to do so.
The act's last studio release, 2005's "Stand Up," entered with 465,000. Its three earlier offerings -- 2002's "Busted Stuff," 2001's "Everyday" and 1998's "Before These Crowded Streets" -- all also started with more than 400,000 in their debut weeks.

"GrooGrux" also leads the Nielsen SoundScan Building Chart that was released on June 3, which reflected unweighted sales through the close of business on Tuesday, June 2. Billboard estimates the seven merchants who report to Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart -- Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, iTunes, Starbucks, Borders, Target and Anderson Merchandisers -- comprise about 60% of all U.S. album sales.

Other albums in the hunt for high debuts next week include 311's "Uplifter" (Volcano) and Taking Back Sunday's "New Again" (Warner Bros.), which both look good for bows within the top 10. Rancid's "Let The Dominoes Fall" (Hellcat/Epitaph) and Elvis Costello's "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane" (Hear/CMG) also seem headed for top 20 entries.
Nielsen SoundScan's sales tracking week, as reflected in the official Billboard 200 chart, runs from Monday through Sunday of each week. The newest Billboard 200 chart, released today (June 3) - where Eminem's "Relapse" held at No. 1 for a second week with 211,000 - reflected the week that ended on Sunday, May 31.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Jane's Addiction Joins Trent Reznor's Transplant Charity Push

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:06:42 PDT

Jane's Addiction has joined Trent Reznor's effort to raise money for a fan who's urgently in need of a heart transplant.

Reznor has been selling special VIP packages to nine inch nails' NIN/JA tour with Jane's Addiction to raise the funds for Eric De La Cruz, the 27-year-old brother of former CNN reporter Veronica De La Cruz, who alerted Reznor of his plight. De La Cruz, who will die without the transplant, has been unable to secure a heart because he's on Medicaid, which will not pay for the

transplant search and procedure. Reznor has raised nearly $860,000 by selling three tiers of VIP packages for the tour: $300 for a soundcheck and meet-and-great; $1,000 to also hang out with the band before the show, have a backstage dinner and watch the concert from the side of the stage; and $1,200 for an additional two tickets.

The promotion was so successful that Reznor had to stop selling the packages -- "We had no idea this would generate THIS MUCH interest and simply can't accommodate any more people," he Twittered -- and has been selling autographed copies of nin's "Still" and Tony Hawk skateboards to raise additional money.

Jane's cast its lot starting with Wednesday night's concert in Boston. For a $1,000 donation, the group is allowing up to 10 fans per show to watch the quartet's nightly pre-show dressing room jam and then watch the concert from the side of the stage and receive an autographed item. "The guys saw what a meaningful cause it was and said, 'OK, we'd like to help. What can we do?' " Jane's manager, Peter Katsis of Prospect Park, tells Billboard.com. "This is a promotion they've done before but never sold.

"We worked with Trent's team to figure out a price that might make sense for such a VIP experience. We got a great response as soon as we put it up, so the guys are just excited they found a way to help, and that their fans are responding."

Katsis says the warm-up period serves as "a private little concert for 10 people. They play for a good while, just loosen up and have fun and play covers songs, Jane's songs. It's about as intimate as it gets."

Fans can purchase the VIP package through the group's web site, janesaddiction.com, which will link them to the page Reznor maintains for the program. Katsis says the packages will be offered for the remainder of the NIN/JA tour, which wraps June 12 in Charlotte, N.C.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Judas Priest Digs Deep For 'Evil' Live Album

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Sat, 30 May 2009 07:43:01 PDT

Judas Priest has chosen 10 songs not previously released in live album form for its next concert set -- "A Touch of Evil: Live," which is due out July 14, in the midst of the band's U.S. summer tour.
"A Touch of Evil" includes live renderings of longtime fan favorites such as "Painkiller," "Dissident Aggressor, "Riding on the Wind," "Between the Hammer & the Anvil" and "Eat Me Alive," as well as "Hellrider" from "Angel of Retribution," the

group's 2004 reunion album with frontman Rob Halford, and two tracks -- "Death" and "Prophecy" -- from last year's rock opera "Nostradamus."
"I love those songs," Halford tells Billboard.com. "All of those songs just crush. Because they've never been recorded live in this way, it's just something fresh to put out. And when you listen to it and think this band has been around for three decades, with a combined age of 250-something years...I mean, how cool is that? It's a very fierce record and just captures the band's attitude and feeling in a very strong, determined way.

"I mean, we could've put 'Living After Midnight' or 'You've Got Another Thing Coming' out -- again. But why? This is just something great to give our fans."

The full track listing for "A Touch of Evil: Live" includes: "Hellrider," "Between the Hammer & the Anvil," "Riding on the Wind," "Death," "Beyond the Realms of Death," "Dissident Aggressor," "Eat Me Alive," "Prophecy" and "Painkiller."

Priest, meanwhile, is preparing for its summer tour, during which the band will play its 1980 album "British Steel" -- which includes "Living After Midnight" -- in its entirety from front to back. "All of us around the world have our respective headphones on, ready to dive into the deep end together," Halford says of preparations for the tour. "It's very bare-bones in terms of production, which in essence makes it a lot easier to re-learn in rehearsals.

"We're all very excited about it. 'British Steel' means a lot to everybody in Priest. I listened to it for the first time recently and I thought, 'Man, this is gonna be so cool to play this stuff live.'"

The Priest tour, with Whitesnake opening, kicks off June 29 in Indianapolis and wraps up Aug. 23 in Gilford, N.H. Halford says the band still plans to play "Nostradamus" in its entirety later this year or in 2010.

Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Sammy Hagar Stimulated By Chickenfoot

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:42:00 PDT

Tired of the tequila-friendly party shows that he's been performing for the last 13 years with his post-Van Halen solo band The Waboritas, Sammy Hagar tells Billboard.com his decision to form Chickenfoot with guitarist Joe Satriani, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith was a challenge he desired as an artist."I just got to a point where I felt I needed to grow," Hagar says. "I was feeling stuck and stagnant. And the whole party thing I created, I just got tired of doing that. You need to eat

and feed yourself in order to grow and the best way to do it for me is to start new projects, and I don't want to call this band a project because we're a band. It's just getting together with other people for new input that stimulates and inspires you to become better. That's all there is to it."

After making its debut at a February 2008 solo Hagar show in Las Vegas, Chickenfoot songwriters Hagar and Satriani started working in earnest last October. The band then reconvened earlier this year to record its self-titled debut effort, which is due out June 9 on Redline Entertainment.

"I don't think I could have written a record this good by myself in 100 years," Hagar says. "And by getting together with Joe, I think we wrote some amazing songs. It's funny he's in the same place as me. He's tired of being a solo artist. We're all on the same page so much in this band it's scary. And we want to take this thing worldwide. We need to take this to everyone who loves this kind of music. I really think it's Montrose, Van Halen and the thing Chad brings is a deep pocket. He plays this groove that is kind of Zeppelin-esque. We're really coming from everywhere."

Currently finishing up its debut mini-tour playing clubs, Chickenfoot is set to make its national television debut on during the first week of Conan O’Brien’s "Tonight Show" on Friday June 5. The band then starts looking ahead to a month-long European jaunt beginning June 20 in Austria before returning stateside for a full North American run slated for August and September. Hagar says the group will then take a break while Smith returns to the Chili Peppers to presumably work on recording that band's next studio effort. Chickenfoot may get back together in early 2010 for an Australian tour with another American leg as well.

While the current outing finds the band playing its debut effort in its entirety, along with unreleased new track "Bitten By The Wolf" and covers such as Montrose's "Bad Motor Scooter" and Deep Purple's "Highway Star," Hagar hints the band isn't adverse to loosening up its set list in the future to include material from the members' star-studded resumes.

"At some point, I think it will be the next album project and tour when we have more songs under our belt, we'll deconstruct Chickenfoot," Hagar says. "So it'll be a little bit of Joe, a little bit of Sammy, a little bit of Van Halen and maybe a little bit of the Chilis. That'll be a wonderful thing down the road when we're in an arena and doing 'An evening with,' but right now we really want to play all of the new songs. And right now we're paying almost two hours, so it's crazy. It's awesome."
Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Incubus Mines Hits, Rarities For 'Monuments And Melodies'

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:30:00 PDT

Incubus' "Monuments and Melodies" started out as "a contractual obligation," according to guitarist Michael Einziger, who tells Billboard.com that he and his bandmates "weren't really excited at first" about putting together a best-of collection. But they eventually changed their tune."It was almost like we were trying to come up with an excuse to go on tour for the summer," Einziger explains, "and we started really thinking about the idea of putting out a greatest hits

album and having that as the excuse to accompany the tour we were planning. And then as we started planning it, it became really obvious that greatest hits records are really important to the legacy of any band. I was introduced to most of the groups I grew up listening to -- artists like Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley and the Doors -- through their greatest hits records.

"So we began realizing that it's in fact really an honor to be able to put together a greatest hits package, and it started becoming nostalgic, like watching a home movie. It's really cool to take a step back and look at this collection of music we've spent all these years writing and playing. It's humbling."

"Monuments and Melodies" includes one disc of hits from Incubus' six studio albums as well as two new songs, "Black Heart Inertia" and "Midnight Swim," recorded in Los Angeles during Einziger's last winter break from Harvard University, where he's been "just taking courses for personal enjoyment." The second disc features rarities, including a newly recorded cover of Prince's "Let's Go Crazy." The set is also available on four vinyl LPs, and copies of the album come with a unique code that will allow buyers to access a new section of exclusive music, photos and other material at a special section called The Vault on the enjoyincubus.com web site.

Incubus' tour for "Monuments and Melodies" gets under way July 9 in San Diego. Einziger says he expects getting back on the road will get the band started on writing for its next album -- the follow-up to 2006's "Light Grenades" -- though any firm plans for that remain open-ended.
"We're kind of playing it by ear," Einziger explains. "We've put records out with almost boring consistency every two years since '96 or something like that. It's nice to just sort of have no defined plan and be able to take our time. We're at a point now in our career where we can kind of just do what we want. There really isn't any pressure on us outside of the pressure we put on ourselves, so we'll see."
Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Phish Releases 13 Minute 'Elastic' Single

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:09:22 PDT

Days before Phish is set to embark on their 2009 summer reunion tour, the jam-band released "Time Turns Elastic" yesterday (May 26) on iTunes. The track is taken from a forthcoming, untitled album due July 28 that sees the band reteaming with famed producer Steve Lillywhite, who they previously worked with on 1996's "Billy Breathes." Unconfirmed Internet rumors suggest a few possible titles: "Party Time" and "Light (Yellow)." Bassist Mike Gordon also said via his hotline that one of the original, shortlisted titles was

"The Best Fucking Phish Album Ever!" Gordon said the title reflects "the intention" the band had for the album and adds that he thinks the new record is "pretty slammin'."

The release of "Time Turns Elastic" also marks the band's first recorded output since 2004's "Undermind" and will come out on their own JEMP Records, which since 2005 has served as an archival, live release label. While the song is yet to be properly played in a live setting as Phish, lead guitarist Trey Anastasio has been exploring it in another context.

"Time Turns Elastic" was co-written by Anastasio with composer Don Hart, and the two have performed it with a classical orchestra on September 27, 2008 in Nashville and in Baltimore last week (May 21). An orchestral version of "Time Turns Elastic" that features Anastasio and the Northwest Sinfonia is due June 9 and is available for pre-order on the Phish website.

After nearly five years apart, the band returned to the stage at the Hampton Coliseum in early March 2009, when they debuted another new song, "Backwards Down The Number Line." Next week marks Phish's first formal tour since 2004. The band will kick off the trek at Fenway Park this Sunday (May 31) and have scheduled multiple night runs throughout the summer at outdoor venues like Jones Beach, Red Rocks, Alpine Valley, the Gorge, and headlining two nights of Bonnaroo.
Original Source :http://www.billboard.com

Eminem: Inside the comeback

noreply@blogger.com (HOT MUSIC) — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:39:43 PDT

Will his revealing new album, ‘Relapse,’ put him on top again?
Eminem is running late: 1,200 fans are packed in front of an outdoor L.A. stage for the taping of the rapper’s May 15 “Jimmy Kimmel Live” appearance, waiting for a set that should have started 45 minutes ago. It’s Eminem’s first major U.S. music performance after a mysterious 4-year absence from public view — or at least it’s supposed to be.

But hey, what’s a few more minutes when fans have been waiting for this comeback for so long, wondering where the world’s most famous rapper had disappeared to?

At last, Eminem bounds onto the stage, joined by his touring DJ, the Alchemist, and rapper (and longtime pal) Denaun Porter. The crowd chants along as he tears through a few tunes from his long-promised album, “Relapse” (which will hit stores four days later, on May 19). When Eminem finishes, they plead in vain for “one more song!”

They’re not the only ones hungry for more. In the weeks leading up to its release, “Relapse” has been hailed by critics and fans — many of whom heard it when it leaked earlier this month — as a landmark in the 36-year-old rapper’s career, a stunning return to form from the man who is arguably contemporary rap’s most talented lyricist. Even the competition is impressed. “I think that the ‘Insane’ song is genius,” Kanye West tells EW, referring to one of “Relapse’s” most outrageous tracks.
“Relapse” is already shaping up to be one of summer’s most talked-about albums — and, quite likely, one of its biggest. Two early singles have made digital history. In February, “Crack a Bottle” sold a record 418,000 downloads in its first week. It was Eminem’s first No. 1 since 2002’s “Lose Yourself.” Two months later, another song, “We Made You,” racked up 758,000 views on MTV.com in its first 24 hours alone, the highest single-day total by far in the site’s history. The weekend before its release, “Relapse” was streamed more than 7 million times on MySpace Music.

Yet for all that, the album almost didn’t get made. As Eminem launches into his big comeback, he’s finally opening up about the past four years, when he shunned the spotlight amid dark rumors of drug abuse and depression. The scariest part is how many of those tales turned out to be true. Tonight, Eminem is back. But he had to go through a personal hell to get here.

Troubled times
In August 2005, Eminem was in trouble. Just over a month into the massively successful “Anger Management 3” tour, he abruptly canceled all 10 remaining dates. “Exhaustion,” he claimed at first. But the truth was far more worrisome: Eminem was headed to rehab. All through the tour, he’d been popping dozens of powerful prescription pills every day.

“I was taking Valium, Ambien, and Vicodin,” he writes in a remarkably revealing first-person essay recently published in Vibe magazine. “And I was taking a lot. If I was to give you a number of Vicodin I would actually take in a day? Anywhere between 10 and 20. Valium, Ambien, the numbers got so high I don’t even know what I was taking.”

Alan “The Alchemist” Maman, a pre-fame acquaintance who started working as Eminem’s DJ on that ill-fated tour, was surprised at the time to learn of Em’s drug abuse. “That was one of the worst parts of his addiction,” he says now. “He knew how to disguise it.” Eminem lasted only about two weeks in rehab, ditching the program and diving right back into drugs.

That’s when things got really bad. In the spring of 2006, Eminem’s life seemed to fall apart all at once. First he split up with his wife, Kim, filing for divorce on April 5, just 82 days after their second wedding (they had previously divorced in 2001). Theirs had been a notoriously troubled union, marked by public disputes, lawsuits and Eminem’s lyrical fantasies about gruesomely murdering her. Eminem agreed to share custody of their daughter, Hailie Jade, then 10 years old.

The very next week, Eminem’s best friend was gunned down during a bar fight on Detroit’s 8 Mile Road. DeShaun “Proof” Holton was the skilled rapper who’d provided the basis for Mekhi Phifer’s character in 8 Mile. He had been Eminem’s closest confidant since the age of 14. “I have never felt so much pain in my life,” Eminem wrote in his 2008 memoir, “The Way I Am.” “His death brought me to my knees.”

How do you cope with a loss like that? Where do you go after that moment of extraordinary pain? Eminem just hid. More Valium, more Vicodin, more, more, more: Behind the scenes, Eminem’s life had become one long medication binge.

One afternoon around Christmas of 2007, Eminem overdosed on methadone pills, collapsing in the bathroom of his Detroit mansion. Days after leaving the hospital, he underwent knee surgery (for an old injury) and started gobbling painkillers again. “I thought it was a sign of weakness to have an addiction,” he writes in Vibe. “I didn’t even want to believe it was a disease. But I realized it when I f---ing almost died and then I still went back to using. I literally almost died.”
Original Source :http://