News and Views

Midwest Tape Weekly Now Available Online

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:41:00 +0000

We've gone digital! Our weekly mailer is available at www.midwesttapes.com. Now you can peruse our Weekly right from your screen with a slew of interactive features. Located under "Services" on our homepage, you can view current and archived issues.

Check out this week's Weekly here. Want to be notified whenever we post our latest Weekly online? Subscribe to our email list now.

Let’s Get This Party Started: American Idol Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Our marketing teams are long-time American Idol viewers. This year we decided to share our take with News & Views. Every week we’ll recap the show and share our critiques. This week, CD Marketing Coordinator Danielle Desmond and Graphic Designer Heather Brown give their two cents.

Danielle:

This past week wrapped up Hollywood, and the contestants had one last chance to prove to the judges (Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler) that they deserve a spot in the Top 24, which will commence the live tapings this week.

The competition’s 42 remaining contestants had to decide upon songs and whether to play an instrument. In a grueling two-hour segment, we watched the judges either make or break these aspiring singers’ dreams to be the next American Idol. We learned a little bit about each contestant’s background, watched a part of their solo performance, and saw them sit down with the judges and await their results.

My favorite part about American Idol, besides Beatles week, is hearing the background stories of all the contestants—some are single parents; some are looking to better the lives of their families; and others are from Small Town USA with stars in their eyes, ready to live their dream. The 11^th season so far seems promising.

The first contestant on the chopping block: 23-year-old Lauren Gray, who shed many a tear in her performances since Hollywood week. The judges felt she got into her head a little too much and sent her packing. Don’t worry; every contestant was greeted with open arms from American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, who is back with more sugary words of wisdom.

Of course, we had to sit through the cuts—some led to breakdowns and others were more understanding. My favorite: 26-year-old Reed Grim—maybe it’s his quirky behavior or his ability to play drums or his touching story about his father, who succumbed to cancer. Either way, Reed Grim not only has great vocal talent, but an awesome sense of humor.

Heather:

In this past episode, the judges repeatedly commented on the extreme depth of talent this season. There is a great deal of talent—singing and instrumental—so we’ll be in for a good season! However, many of these artists don’t seem like they would fit into the pop/rock Top 40 of today. Hopefully, Idol can groom them, so they don’t fall to the wayside after the competition.

I hope the wayside isn’t the case for Shannon Magrane. The fresh-faced 16-year-old belts it out, sounding similar to Leona Lewis while possessing a personable stage presence like Carrie Underwood. Although young, I think she’s got the strongest pipes out of all the women competitors.

For the guys, it seems their talent is all over the map. Colton Dixon has returned to this show; hopefully he will get further than last time. He deserves that chance. Reed Grim is extremely talented, but he reminds me a lot of Taylor Hicks. Remember him?

One guy who didn’t make the cut, Johnny Keyser, seemed to be the only guy who crooned like a true ready-for-radio pop star you. For some reason, the judges opted not to keep him. As a twist to the show, though, one of four guys who had been cut will be asked back. Let’s hope it’s Johnny.

Congrats to all the contestants who made it to the Top 24. We are eager to get to know you this season. The guys will perform first on Tuesday night, and the girls will follow Wednesday night. Seacrest will unveil the results on Thursday. Three whole nights of American Idol! Will you be watching? Who are your favorites?

Hot This Week: February 27

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Happy Oscar Monday! Let's see how things are on the lists...

DVD

Adele, 21
Whitney Houston, Whitney: The Greatest Hits
Now 41
Adele, 19
2012 Grammy Nominees
Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth
Paul McCartney, Kisses on the Bottom
Bruno Mars, Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Lady Antebellum, Own the Night
Civil Wars, Barton Hollow

Fiction Books

Private Games, James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
Kill Shot, Vince Flynn
The Wolf Gift, Anne Rice
I've Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella
Defending Jacob, William Landay
11/22/63, Stephen King
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Home Front, Kristin Hannah
Catch Me, Lisa Gardner

Nonfiction Books

American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Ameritopia, Mark R. Levin
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo
Once Upon a Secret, Mimi Alford
Quiet, Susan Cain
Bringing Up Bébé, Pamela Druckerman
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Hilarity Ensues, Tucker Max

12 Films to Look Forward to in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:51:00 +0000

This Sunday night we honor the great films of 2011 with The 84^th Annual Academy Awards. Following that prestigious event, audiences and Hollywood will turn their attention to 2012. What movies will slay box offices? What talents will break through into the spotlight? And what films will capture the attention of the next award season? While I don’t have a crystal ball, I have managed to pinpoint 12 films to put on your movie-going radar this year.

The Dark Knight Rises

It’s the final installment in Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed Batman trilogy, and even though the film doesn’t hit theaters until July, some midnight showings are already sold out. According to MetaCritic, the rumored $250 million production features even more scenes filmed in the IMAX format than 2008's The Dark Knight, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway join the already stellar returning cast. Needless to say, this film is way worthy of all the buzz and buildup.

The Hunger Games

This pick doesn’t need much explanation. The amazing book trilogy will now be a four-part film franchise. It will most likely satiate the movie-going needs of both Twi-Hards and Potterites alike, plus all the rest of us who love either the book series, Jennifer Lawrence, dystopian tales, or all of the above. The buzz on this film is boiling over, so thank goodness it comes out in a month. Watch the trailer here.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Cue the collective groans. I know you’re thinking “Another Spider-Man? C’mon!” But if Christopher Nolan proved anything with his Batman franchise, it’s that reboots can not only be vastly better than the originals, but bring in a lot more bucks, too.

Directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) and starring The Social Network’s Andrew Garfield and Hollywood sweetheart Emma Stone, the film is based more on the comic book series.Couple these factors with audiences’ overwhelming adoration for all things Spidey, and methinks this will be quite the blockbuster. Plus the trailer looks awesome.

Gangster Squad

Director Ruben Fleischer has changed his pace, switching from modestly budgeted action-comedy like Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less to a true crime drama set in late 1940s Los Angeles. Not intrigued yet? Well, I have two words for you: Ryan Gosling. Yes, the man of 2011 is staking his claim on 2012, too. Supporting the Gos is Sean Penn, who plays infamous gangster Mickey Cohen, a mogul who started as muscle for Al Capone in Chicago. Gosling and Josh Brolin play the two coppers determined to bring him down. And Emma Stone is the femme fatale coming between them.

The Avengers

Another superhero flick has made my 2012 list. But how could this one not? Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly fame co-writes and directs. In the film, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor (each of whom had their own movies) team up with Nick Fury, Hawkeye, the Incredible Hulk, and Black Widow to stop Thor’s brother Loki from destroying the world. All these superheroes are sure to deliver a lot of great action. Fingers crossed this doesn’t turn into the New Year’s Eve of superhero movies, though.

Cosmopolis

Originally this film wasn’t on my radar in the slightest, but then The Early Word reported that Cosmopolis beat out Breaking Dawn, Pt. 2 and The Hunger Games in MTV’s Movie Brawl for Must-See Movie of 2012. So how did it win millions of votes? While Eastern Promises was incredible, it most likely wasn’t director David Cronenberg that swayed voters. And even though he is loveable, it probably wasn’t Paul Giammati either.

More likely, voters literally went weak in the knees for R. Pat. Yes, Cosmopolis, based off Don DeLillo’s 2003 novel, stars Robert Pattinson. Fans seemed to have banded together to show their support for the heartthrob’s post-vampire career. In addition to MTV, this film also made Paste Magazine and The Playlist’s film previews. Why? All the non-Pattinson reasons listed above.

The Hobbit

Fans of The Lord of the Rings franchise have long been clamoring for a big-screen, big-budget adaptation of The Hobbit. According to Yahoo! Movies, “a change of directors, lawsuits, and the aforementioned bankruptcy of MGM delayed things for a while,” but Peter Jackson is intending to deliver around Christmastime of 2012. If the Oscar-winning first three films and the teaser trailer are any indication, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey should be dazzling.

Brave

Pixar is finally making way for a female protagonist. They’re also venturing away from the world of sequels. Set in the Scottish highlands, Brave focuses on a 10th century Scottish princess named Merida. Pixar delivers when it comes to movies, so it’s no surprise that Brave made just about every 2012 film preview.

Skyfall

After some MGM drama and many rumors, the next Daniel Craig Bond film is happening. With Javier Bardem starring as the villain and Sam Mendes directing, there’s much excitement swirling around the 23^rd Bond film. Featuring a completely original storyline—that’s right, no Ian Fleming novel here—the film follows Agent 007 as he hunts down the people who attacked MI6, while struggling with his relationship with boss M.

Prometheus

Originally a prequel to Alien, but now simply set in that universe, Ridley Scott has returned to his sci-fi roots for Prometheus. While details of the film are fairly under wraps, we do know it stars the man who can do no wrong, Michael Fassbender, and the original girl with dragon tat, Noomi Rapace. According to The Playlist, “it’s about a team of explorers who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.” Need your interest furthered piqued? Check out the teaser trailer below.

Breaking Dawn Pt. 2

Whether you’re a diehard fan or just happy to see this series end, it’s hard to deny Breaking Dawn, Pt. 2 as an anticipated film of 2012. But that’s what many did. Out all the lists I reviewed, only Yahoo! Movies listed Breaking Dawn, Pt. 2 on their film preview. Perhaps four movies were too many for most.

Slated for a November 2012 release, the film will follow newly made vampire Bella and her hubby Edward as they team up with other vampire clans as well as Jacob and his werewolves to protect their hybrid baby from the Volturi. Now those of us who have read the books know this whole plot isn’t as climactic as it sounds, but if the rest of the films are any indication, director Bill Condon and his team are sure going to try to make this final the most epic ever.

Additional 2012 Flicks to Get Excited About

The Bourne Legacy

World War Z

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Moonrise Kingdom

Gravity

Men in Black III

The Wettest Country
Dog Fight
Django Unchained
The Great Gatsby
The Master
Argo
Dark Shadows
Lincoln

What movies are you most anticipating in 2012? Did I miss any? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or on Twitter: @midwesttape #filmpreview.

Hot This Week: February 20

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Adele mania continues with both 19 and 21 appearing on the CD chart. Surprisingly, Breaking Dawn didn't debut at the top spot for DVD—does this mean audiences love J.T. and Ryan Gosling more than R. Pat and Taylor Lautner? While that's debatable, it's clear that Fiction and Nonfiction know no favorites as another slew of new releases further shake up both lists.

DVD

Adele, 21
Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth
Now 41
The Fray, Scars & Stories
Paul McCartney, Kisses on the Bottom
Whitney Houston, Whitney: The Greatest Hits
Dierks Bentley, Home
2012 Grammy Nominees
Adele, 19
Drake, Take Care

Fiction Books

Kill Shot, Vince Flynn
Catch Me, Lisa Gardner
Defending Jacob, William Landay
Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
11/22/63, Stephen King
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
Home Front, Kristin Hannah
Taken, Robert Crais
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
Left for Dead, J.A. Jance

Nonfiction Books

Ameritopia, Mark R. Levin
Hilarity Ensues, Tucker Max
American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Quiet, Susan Cain
Once Upon a Secret, Mimi Alford
Bringing Up Bébé, Pamela Druckerman
Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand

Adele Sweeps the 54th Annual Grammy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Danielle Desmond, our lead music selector and CD standing order expert, recaps this past weekend's Grammy Awards.

In the wake of R&B singer Whitney Houston’s sudden death, the 54^th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, had the biggest audience viewing since 1984.

Rapper and Grammy host LL Cool J opened the show addressing audience members with the painful words, “We have a death in our family.” He then led the audiences and viewers in prayer to honor the late Whitney Houston.

As they say, though, “the show must go on,” and the Grammys certainly did, honoring this year’s amazing artists, including the many greats we’ve lost this year. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt performed Etta James’s “Sunday Kind of Love.” Tony Bennett accepted the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for his duet, “Body and Soul,” with the late Amy Winehouse. And Jennifer Hudson left us with chills after she sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Although no one can quite match Houston’s extraordinary and incomparable voice, Hudson did the legendary diva proud.

Another noteworthy performance? The unlikely collaboration of the Beach Boys, Maroon 5, and newcomer hipster band Foster the People. The Beach Boys will start their 50^th Anniversary Tour this spring.

Missing from the awards ceremony was Kanye West as well as Jay Z and Beyonce (who were probably at home taking care of their brand new baby daughter, Blu Ivy). Still, many artists attended to proudly accept their awards.

The biggest winner of the night was Adele for her album 21, which went six for six on awards: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop Vocal Album, Best Solo Pop Performance, and Best Short Form Music Video.

In addition to sweeping the Grammys, Adele also blew audiences away with a stunning performance of her hit song “Rolling in the Deep.” The wow factor was amplified by the fact that this was Adele’s first performance since her throat surgery back in November. She remembered to thank her doctors in her acceptance speech for Album of the Year.

The Foo Fighters won for Best Rock Album, Rock Song, and Rock Performance. David Grohl told everyone that this was his most meaningful album because it was recorded in his garage. Chris Brown performed early in the night and then took home the award for Best R&B Album. Kanye West, who wasn’t present, won for Best Rap Album.

America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift performed her hit “Mean,” which also won the Grammy for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.

The show wrapped with an unforgettable finale from Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and David Grohl, singing a medley from the Abbey Road album. What a gorgeous and refreshing compilation of “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End.”

What did you think of the Grammys? Were there any shocks or snubs in your book? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below, and be sure to shop the full list of winners here.

Hot This Week: February 13

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Following the Grammys, it's no surprise that Adele continues to fill the #1 spot on the CD list. Meanwhile, J.T. and R.Gos battle it out for the top seed of DVD, and little changes on the Fiction and Nonfiction lists.

DVD

Adele, 21
Lana Del Rey, Born to Die
Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas
2012 Grammy Nominees
Kidz Bop Kids, Kidz Bop 21
Drake, Take Care
Tim McGraw, Emotional Traffic
Fred Hammond, God, Love & Romance
LMFAO, Sorry for Party Rocking
Rihanna, Talk That Talk

Fiction Books

Home Front, Kristin Hannah
Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Taken, Robert Crais
Defending Jacob, William Landay
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
11/22/63, Stephen King
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
Believing the Lie, Elizabeth George
Raylan, Elmore Leonard
The Litigators, John Grisham

Nonfiction Books

American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Ameritopia, Mark R. Levin
Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Quiet, Susan Cain
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
Coming Apart, Charles Murray
Fairy Tale Interrupted, RoseMarie Terenzio

2012 Audiobook Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jon Williams) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Audiobook lovers rejoice! The year 2012 looks to be filled with a wealth of literary treasures. Now that Groundhog Day is in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at what lies ahead—aside from six more weeks of winter.

Just released on February 7 was Stay Awake, a new collection of short stories from Dan Chaon. Chaon’s last collection was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2001. Here he returns to the short form for the first time in eleven years after publishing two novels in the meantime.

On Valentine’s Day, readers will fall in love with a trio of books. Sophie Kinsella looks to continue her bestselling ways with I’ve Got Your Number, while Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah’s Key and A Secret Kept, returns with The House I Loved. If you like a little horror with your romance, Anne Rice has the answer with The Wolf Gift.

Finishing out February, there’s Other People We Married on February 21 from Emma Straub, daughter of novelist Peter Straub and a powerful author in her own right. On the 28th, bestseller Jodi Picoult offers Lone Wolf, while Ramona Ausubel makes a conspicuous debut with No One Is Here Except All of Us, a fable of a Jewish village in Romania trying to persevere through the horrors of World War II.

Marilynne Robinson’s novel Gilead won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. On March 13 she turns her talents to non-fiction with When I Was a Child I Read Books, a collection of essays on a variety of themes. Going in the other direction, Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, tries his hand at fiction in Monday Mornings, about a group of surgeons who confront their failures in weekly “Morbidity and Mortality” meetings.

Also in March, Lyndsay Faye follows up her Sherlock Holmes/Jack the Ripper pastiche with another work of historical crime fiction, The Gods of Gotham. Then, acclaimed writer Lionel Shriver (another National Book Award finalist) presents The New Republic, a novel about terrorism that she originally wrote in 1998 but shelved after the September 11 World Trade Center attacks.

April is the month for heavy hitters on the bestseller lists. First up, on the 3rd, is Mary Higgins Clark with The Lost Years. On the 10th, John Grisham eschews the courtroom for the baseball diamond in Calico Joe. Stephen King follows up 11/22/63 with the eighth installment in his Dark Tower series, The Wind Through the Keyhole, on the 24th. Also on that day, critical lightning rod Jonathan Franzen returns with his latest book of essays, Farther Away.

Further out on the horizon, there’s still plenty to look forward to: Deadlocked, a new Southern Vampire book from Charlaine Harris; Home, by Toni Morrison, a novel about racial inequality and the aftereffects of war; Bring Up the Bodies, the sequel to Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel; In One Person by venerable author John Irving; and Mortality, the final memoir by firebrand and critic Christopher Hitchens, who passed away in December.

Of course, this is just a small sampling of what awaits us in the world of audiobooks in 2012. What new and upcoming releases are you and your patrons most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more 2012 previews, click on the links below:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/48029-spring-2012-sneak-previews.html
http://entertainment.time.com/2011/12/07/seven-books-im-looking-forward-to-in-2012/
http://www.themillions.com/2012/01/most-anticipated-the-great-2012-book-preview.html

Midwest Tape at 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:44:00 +0000

The 2012 ALA Midwinter Conference took place at the Dallas Convention Center 19–23 January in Dallas, Texas. Being that Texas sure beats Ohio in January, Midwest Tape was once again proud to exhibit at the show. This show not only gave us an additional chance to meet with customers, but it was also the last time we used our current booth. That’s right. Our booth has run its course, which means there will be something very spectacular to behold at PLA. Will you be there?

During ALA Midwinter, attendees could enter to win a $2500 shopping spree at MidwestTapes.com. We received 91 entries for the grand prize, and after the shop wrapped up, we drew a winner. A big congratulations to Alice Neve, Public Services Manager for the Rondo Community Outreach Center Library in St. Paul, Minnesota. Be sure to drop her a congratulatory line in our comments section!

Did you attend ALA Midwinter? What did you enjoy most at the show?

Hot This Week: February 6

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:01:00 +0000

DVD

Adele, 21
Tim McGraw, Emotional Traffic
Lamb of God, Resolution
2012 Grammy Nominees
Ingrid Michaelson, Human Again
Kidz Bop Kids, Kidz Bop 21
Kellie Pickler, 100 Proof
Seal, Soul 2
Drake, Take Care
Kari Jobe, Where I Find You

Fiction Books

Taken, Robert Crais
Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
11/22/63, Stephen King
Believing the Lie, Elizabeth George
Raylan, Elmore Leonard
The Litigators, John Grisham
Darker After Midnight, Lara Adrian
Locked On, Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney

Nonfiction Books

Ameritopia, Mark R. Levin
American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Quiet, Susan Cain
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker
Fairy Tale Interrupted, RoseMarie Terenzio
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
Strategic Vision, Zbigniew Brzezinski

2012 Winter Music Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:43:00 +0000

2012 is here! Thus, it's time for our Year in Preview series. Here, Karan Davay, one of our CD selectors and marketers, discusses what to look forward to this winter.

As the music industry prepares to honor the best of 2011 at the Grammy’s in February and honor music legends at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April, music artists continue to give us great new music in 2012.

Van Halen kicked off the New Year, quite literally, in Times Square on New Year’s Eve with a billboard announcing their new album, A Different Kind of Truth (February 7), and a U.S. Tour that reunites David Lee Roth with his old band mates.

It isn’t just Van Halen hitting the tour circuit, though. Bruce Springsteen—on the heels of his new album announcement (Wrecking Ball, releasing March 6)—will not only launch a tour, but will make a rare appearance at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas as the keynote speaker. Rolling Stone also has tours predicted for Lady Gaga, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and others.

Newcomer Lana Del Rey, aka Lizzy Grant, has been creating quite a stir with her new album Born To Die. Her internet viral hit “Video Games,” which Pitchfork Media named “Best New Track, “has led her to the nightly talk show rounds, including the coveted Saturday Night Live spot. Of course, that appearance didn’t necessarily go so well. Still, it’s more press for the breakthrough artist.

Canadian folk singer Kathleen Edwards has also been hitting the talk shows, promoting her latest CD, Voyageur. She has teamed up with her boyfriend, Justin Moore of Bon Iver, who helped co-produced her fourth album.

In the classical world of music, Grammy winning violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Jeremy Denk have landed on the Billboard charts with their highly anticipated album, French Impressions.

Reality music shows are also revving up. Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest return to American Idol for its 11^th season. Madonna is headlining the Super Bowl on February 5 with special musical guest M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj. Both Madonna and Minaj have new music coming out: MDNA and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded respectively. Following the Super bowl, The Voice starts their second season with judges Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine returning.

Taylor Swift will be gracing the cover of February’s Vogue catalog. She is chatting up her upcoming fourth album, which will again be about a romance gone badly. Taylor Swift also has a new single off the upcoming Hunger Games soundtrack. There are more artists releasing albums that I’m pretty excited about. Look for CDs from No Doubt, U2, Maroon 5, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Ke$ha, Faith Hill, and Rascal Flatts.

Midwest Tape continues to help you stay in tune to the latest and greatest in music. Click here to view our full 2012 Winter Preview, and be sure to check out our Calendar tool to view all upcoming CD releases.

Hot This Week: January 30

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:56:00 +0000

After a brief respite, Hot This Week returns and not much has changed in the land of CDs. (Surprise! Adele is still number one.) In DVDs, Fiction, and Nonfiction, though, shake-ups have occurred and new contenders have entered the rings.

Ameritopia and American Sniper have finally dethroned Steve Jobs and Killing Lincoln. Oscar nominee Moneyball is competing for the top spot with 4% fresh-rate Abduction. And Nevada Barr, Elmore Leonard, and Bernard Cornwell are all aiming to top Private: #1 Suspect.

DVD

Adele, 21
Kidz Bop Kids, Kidz Bop 21
The Black Keys, El Camino
Drake, Take Care
Rihanna, Talk That Talk
Young Jeezy, TM:103: Hustlerz Ambition
James Fortune & FIYA, Identity
Toby Keith, Clancy's Tavern
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto
Nickelback, Here and Now

Fiction Books

Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Death of Kings, Bernard Cornwell
Believing the Lie, Elizabeth George
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
11/22/63, Stephen King
Raylan, Elmore Leonard
Shadows in Flight, Orson Scott Card
The Rope, Nevada Barr
The Litigators, John Grisham

Nonfiction Books

Ameritopia, Mark R. Levin
American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
The Obamas, Jodi Kantor
Elizabeth the Queen, Sally Bedell Smith
Catherine the Great, Robert K. Massie

Louise Harrison Interview, Part 4 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Jon Williams) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:49:00 +0000

Midwest Tape marketing specialist Chris Shope recently interviewed Louise Harrison, sister of Beatle George Harrison, and two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Dennis Scott about their new Grammy-nominated album, Fab Fan Memories, as well as their Help Keep Music Alive organization, George Harrison, and the Beatles.

Broken into four parts, below is the fourth and final portion of our interview. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

Louise Harrison at the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' historic appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show

Chris: Louise, I would like to ask you a few questions about your brother George, but before I do I was wondering if you could give us a quick take on the other Beatles. What were they like when you met them? Are there any interesting anecdotes you would like to share?

Louise: When I first met them, it was at the Plaza Hotel on the Friday afternoon when they had just arrived over from Britain to do The Ed Sullivan show. And for me it was just like getting three more brothers. You know I had grown up with three brothers—George, Harry, and Peter—so it was just like having three more brothers. We just reacted that way with each other, you know, it’s just one big family.

They were all so excited because they had just arrived to that tremendous reception at the airport and all through New York, so they were buzzing from room to room in the suite there at the Plaza. They were in the presidential suite, and there were, I think, three different rooms and everything. They all had their TV sets on in their own rooms, and they were running from room to room because all of the different networks were covering the arrival. And they would be saying, “Hey, look what they’re saying about us here.” And then somebody would say, “Hey, look what they’re saying about us here.” And so all of the different coverage of their arrival was there [on TV] and we were running from room to room madly watching what was going on outside and watching the recording of them coming into town.

So, we just all enjoyed each other, and they knew I didn’t have any agenda. I wasn’t a stalker; I wasn’t a fan, or a manipulator, or a predator—which they didn’t even know existed at that point. All of that came later, the manipulators and the predators. But at that time it was just a lot of fun because it was like having three more brothers.

Chris: Was that the instance when you had to show a photograph to get in?

Louise: That’s right, yeah. George had left word at the front desk when I was checking in to come on up to their room. But he didn’t realize there were guards at the end of the corridor stopping everybody and asking them if their name was on the list. So he just told me to come up, and he didn’t know there was such a thing as a list to be on. So, of course, I wasn’t on the list. But as it turned out I had that Polaroid picture of myself and George and my brother Peter. George was holding my daughter in his arms; she was about three years old at the time.

Unfortunately that Polaroid picture, I gave it to the people at Capitol Records and they made copies of it, and I still have a note from Bill Turner from Capitol saying, “I’ll get that picture back to you as soon as possible.” Well, that was written forty years ago and I still haven’t gotten the picture back. And I had somebody from EMI search through all of their archives trying to find it, and they can’t. But somebody’s probably selling it on the Internet.

Chris: It’s possible, but that’s probably the most unique access pass I’ve ever heard of.

Louise: Yeah, that’s right.

Dennis: I’m glad you had that Louise. It would be a very different story otherwise. Were you backstage at The Ed Sullivan Show when that was going on?

Louise: Well, I was in the audience on the Sunday night one. You see they taped one in the afternoon on Sunday, but it was actually shown on the third week. They did the second one from the Deauville in Miami, but the third week they actually aired the one that had been taped on the afternoon of that Sunday.

And it’s funny because on the first and the third show, George still has a temperature of 102 and that really, really bad strep throat, and he looks really ill. But during the second performance from the Deauville he had recovered and he was okay. He was bouncy and his eyes were sparkling. Most people don’t know. I tell them if you watch all three shows, notice on the first and the third one he’s ill, and in the second one he’s not. It is because that third one was actually recorded before that first two. So that’s one thing that isn’t generally known.

Dennis: I’ve watched those clips a number of times and, especially in view of what you just said, I have to give him [George] a lot of credit because. For example, when he does the solo to “Till There Was You,” the camera comes on him and he just beams a smile that goes across the entire screen. It’s so engaging, and he’s not even feeling well. He was a trooper, even in those days.

Louise: Well that’s kind of the way our parents raised us. No matter what’s happening, if you have a job to do, you do it to the very best of your ability. That was very much a part of how he behaved.

Chris: The show must go on. About your brother George, Tom Petty in a September Rolling Stone article said that George was anything but quiet. He said that he was very fun to hang out with.

Louise: Exactly. That was just because he had that strep throat that weekend and the doctor advised him to try to not say very much because his throat was still hurting. That’s why he got dubbed the quiet Beatle, but we’ve always had a joke about that. He’s no quieter than I am!

Chris: That’s fantastic! The same article also said that George was fond of the phrase “create and preserve the image of your choice,” which I find beautiful. What did that phrase mean to George and how did it affect his life?

Louise: Well, you know, he was being, what’s the word, facetious. Because of all of the images that people created about them, and the false ideas that people had about them. For instance, the quiet one and all that. He was just being sarcastic really by saying that.

One of the other things that he used to have a lot of fun with, when people would ask him questions is that he would say “well, I don’t really know. I’m the quiet one. I don’t have much to say. I’m the quiet one.” So he would kind of fall back on that myth in order to get out of having to answer nonsensical questions.

Chris: It seems like a lot of these experiences may have sent George down the road of a more inward journey.

Louise: Oh yeah, yeah. After all that fame and fortune and everything, he realized how hollow a lot of it is. They discovered very early that the money doesn’t make you happy. It just makes you a target, you know. Then there were all of the people that came into their lives just wanting to get a hold of the money. That was kind of sickening for them but you know they had to kind of put up with it. That was all part of the job, I suppose.

Chris: Is that part of what led George to India?

Louise: Oh yes. Because he realized that all the money in the world wasn’t going to make you happy. You have to have inner peace in order to be able to survive in that cauldron that they were in the midst of. They were in like a boiling cauldron of all the promotion all the time, as far as the discomfort level of their lives, and so in order to try and find peace, they had to try to find “what’s it really all about.” You know, “why are we in this crazy position?” And they were able to gradually start to understand that the message that they were delivering was a very, very vital and important thing for the rest of the people on the planet.

Chris: Indeed, they could say things that mattered from their high perch.

Louise: Yeah exactly, and people would listen. They started to realize that they had this responsibility.

Chris: Is that when George became good friends with Ravi Shankar and did the Concert for Bangladesh? Reading back on it, it was a very positive thing to do.

Louise: Exactly. They started quite a trend there. And I mean what we’re going to be doing with Help Keep Music Alive is a continuation of that trend. We’re not in this to glorify ourselves or make ourselves millionaires. We’re in it to help other people and that was very, very much in the spirit of what the Beatles were all about.

Chris: It sounds like the Concert [for Bangladesh] was a progression.

Louise: Oh yes.

Chris: What’s your favorite song that George wrote?

Louise: Oh golly, probably a couple dozen of them. But off the top of my head I would say maybe “Cheer Down.”

Chris: That’s a good one.

Louise: He would kind of take that attitude. To me cheer down is the same thing as curb your enthusiasm. You know, that was kind of how he used to react to me, because I would always be bouncing up and down with enthusiasm, and he’d kind of look at me like “cheer down, Lou. Calm down.” So I’ve always liked that song because I feel like there was a bit of a thought towards my being in that song.

Chris: It sounds like he had a great sense of humor like you do.

Louise: Absolutely. When you live in Liverpool you’ve got to have a sense of humor because the first thing you learn is how to make fun of yourself. You know I can remember doing a TV show—I don’t know whether it was Larry King or one of those others—but they have a dressing room and they have people there that come and put makeup on you. I said, “look the best thing you can do to make me look better is put a bag over my head.”

Chris: Self-deprecation is good humor, I find.

Louise: Oh yeah, that’s what we learned right from the get-go in Liverpool.

Chris: So Dennis, what’s your favorite song that George wrote?

Dennis: I hate to pick just one because I do like so many of them, but I guess I gravitate towards one that is one of his most beloved and popular ones, which is “Here Comes the Sun.” I never get tired of hearing it, and now that Cirque de Soleil came out with the Love show, we’re able to hear some of the other versions of that song. It reintroduced me to that material and I just love it even more. I do like some of his songs that were maybe not single hits, things like "If I Needed Someone," such a great song.

Louise: Yeah, yeah.

Dennis: And "Taxman" is not only a great rocker, but it’s also a pretty insightful song about the economic times and some of the tax injustices.

Louise: Back then, yeah. That’s one thing that tickles me now about this whole thing about “well, we can’t raise taxes on the millionaires.” Well, they’re only paying 35%, when the Beatles were millionaires they were paying 96%. America’s millionaires should take that one and suck it down.

Chris: That’s perspective right there.

Louise: Exactly.

Dennis: Well, what impresses me is when he wrote that he was young, but had a mature and insightful lyric, which he shared with everyone.

Chris: I’m sure that the spotlight aged them all pretty quickly to the ways of the world.

Louise: That’s right, yeah.

Dennis: Especially when they were forced to become businessmen after Brian Epstein died. I’m sure, from what I understand, they didn’t relish the thought of that. They were creative people.

Louise: Well, they still kept on getting ripped off. That was not their primary interest, but when they realized how much they were being ripped off, they started trying to look into it and see if they couldn’t solve a few problems. As a matter of fact, I remember Peter Noone—you know Herman’s Hermits—I remember him telling me that when he first started out, he was only about 16, the Beatles had told him about some of the pitfalls of the business world, and they told him some of the things to watch out for. And he said due to their advice, he was able to actually hold on to a lot more of his income than the Beatles were able to because he was looking into the things that the Beatles had told him about and getting those things taken care of.

Chris: As you said on the album [Fab Fan Memories], “for the Beatles it was all about the music.” All the rest of it was for someone else.

Louise: Exactly.

Chris: That’s what I love about music in general, like with “Here Comes the Sun,” when I hear it I think back to when I was 16. I had a convertible, driving down the road with the wind in my hair. I love music’s power to bring back memories and transport you to places.

Louise: Exactly.

Dennis: That’s very observant. I’m sure Louise and the [Liverpool] Legends experience, as do I with my group the WannaBeatles, the young faces in the audience. These kids, who are five or six or seven years old, know the lyrics to all these songs. I am constantly amazed by that.

Louise: Yeah, yeah. It’s still resonating with the youngsters coming up. There’s no doubt about that.

Chris: You can see in their eyes those kinds of memories being created.

Louise: Yeah, yeah.

Dennis: Exactly.

Chris: It’s a beautiful thing. Well, that’s all of the questions we have for you. This has been an incredible conversation and again we really appreciate it.

Dennis: Thank you Chris.

Louise: Thank you. The more people we can reach, the more people we can help.

Thanks for reading our four-part interview with Louise Harrison and Dennis Scott. To learn more about Louise's organization, Help Keep Music Alive, by visiting their website or Facebook page. You can also shop Fab Fan Memories and Beatles music and DVDs on www.midwesttapes.com.

>>Read part one now.
>>Read part two now.
>>Read part three now.

Louise Harrison Interview, Part 3 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Jon Williams) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Midwest Tape marketing specialist Chris Shope recently interviewed Louise Harrison, sister of Beatle George Harrison, and two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Dennis Scott about their new Grammy-nominated album, Fab Fan Memories, as well as their Help Keep Music Alive organization, George Harrison, and the Beatles.

Broken into four parts, below is the third portion of our interview. Click here for Part 1 and Part 2.

Louise Harrison prepping for a Liverpool Legends concert

Dennis Scott (second, left) and the WannaBeatles

Chris: The world is getting smaller. Technology is making Do-It-Yourself so much easier for talented musicians. All these people that wouldn’t have connections otherwise, that wouldn’t be able to be heard. It would have been interesting to see how the Beatles would have come up in a world like today.

Louise: Yeah, well, it would be rather different.

Dennis: I’m sure Louise agrees that it was the coming together of so many different elements that made the Beatles what they were. They were immersed in all these sounds from America that were coming over with the servicemen landing in Liverpool, and they just absorbed it like sponges. And when they put it out, it became their own signature way of making music. The rest is history.

Chris: In my research, I didn’t realize that the Beatles had gotten so immensely popular in Great Britain before anyone had even heard of them in the United States.

Louise: That’s true. They were number one. They had their first album put out, which in England was called Please Please Me, and it was number one. It stayed at number one for about twelve months until their second album [With the Beatles] came out and knocked it down to number two.

So, well that was the thing you know, I lived over here from the beginning of March 1963, and I was running around all the radio stations that I could with the singles that my mum was sending me. I was saying “hey, this is my kid brother’s band, and they’re number one in England, and you should be playing them.” I was really trying like crazy to get them some airplay in this country. And then eventually it happened.

Chris: You laid the groundwork. It must have been wonderful to finally hear every radio station playing it.

Louise: Oh yeah, it was.

Dennis: Louise, was there a lot of resistance at first from the radio stations? Were they ambivalent at first or…?

Louise: Well, I discovered later it wasn’t so much that there was ambivalence, so much as back in those days there was what was called Payola. It was more that the DJs and the Program Directors back then were accustomed to being given across their palms with silver, kind of idea, before they actually accepted something. So this was why I, when I found out all of this stuff was going on, I let Brian [Epstein] know that we needed to have a major record label behind us, somebody that had some clout in order to get anywhere with the radio stations. And of course back then there were about 6,000 independent radio stations, I know there’s more than that now, but of course there’s a different way of distributing now.

Dennis: Those were the days.

Chris: As you may know Midwest Tape is a vendor of media products and services to public libraries. What is your favorite part of your local library?

Louise: When I was a kid in Liverpool, I was six years old when I joined the library. I’d be there two or three times a week getting out all of those Andrew Lang fairy tales, back in those days. You know because I was a little girl, looking for the happily ever after and princes and princesses and everything.

But more recently the kinds of things I’m into are things like quantum physics. I have a tremendous library—in my own bedroom, in fact. I can’t even remember half of the things. Things about the planet, about the environment, again quantum physics and people like Senator Paul Simon. He gave me some of his books. Tom Haden, he gave me one of his books. Actually a lot of the books that I have were given to me by the authors. People like Al Gore, and Joshua Greene who wrote a book about my brother. So I have a very, very varied library at home. I don’t read fiction or spy stories or horror stories or anything like that, it’s mostly I would say non-fiction, and possibly slightly a little intellectual stuff.

Chris: How about you, Dennis? What do you like to read?

Dennis: Well, I’m still going through my Archie comic book collection. Like Louise, it’s very difficult to find time to read, but of course, my leanings are towards music-oriented publications and books. I like the histories and stories about artists I’m impressed by. I have a pretty good collection now of books about the Beatles.

And we have a wonderful public library in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s not that old; it was rebuilt a couple of years ago. And aside from the collections of books, they have a concert series and a courtyard square where I’ve had a chance to play with my tribute band [the WannaBeatles]. And they also have world-class puppet and marionette shows. It’s just a treasure to go there.

Chris: Excellent.

Louise: I too, of course, have all of the books that people have written about the Beatles. They mostly send them to me. I haven’t really read many of them because too many of them are fabricated from my point of view. That’s one of the reasons why I’m writing my own book—to give a little bit of truth to all of the myths that are out there.

Chris: Definitely. You’re in an extremely unique position to tell it the way it is.

Louise: And people have been saying to me for years, “isn’t it about time for you to write a book about the Beatles?” For years I’ve resisted but finally I said okay. Enough is enough with all of the garbage that’s out there. That’s what I was working on when you called me.

Chris: Excellent. Is there any music you are into these days, aside from the Beatles, of course?

Dennis: You mean there’s something else other than the Beatles? (sarcasm)

Chris: Any new favorite bands?

Louise: My favorite bands in the ‘60s were the Moody Blues, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, and that was about it. Those were the ones that I liked.

Dennis: I have to agree with Louise 100 percent— the Beach Boys. Of course, the Beatles and the Beach Boys influenced each other.

Louise: Yes, yeah. That’s one of the stories I’m telling in my book about when I was invited to the memorial for Carl Wilson in California, you know with the Beach Boys.

Dennis: Believe it or not, I stay abreast of children’s recordings because the other hat that I wear is as a producer and writer of children’s material. I’ve worked with Sesame Street and Disney and folks like that, so I really have to keep on top of what’s going out there. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the children’s music is becoming much more sophisticated at an earlier age. While in my heart I wish things would stay a little more sedate, the kids are becoming more attuned to rap and other kinds of music at an earlier age. So I do have to keep on top of contemporary music a little bit.

Chris: We should have another conversation sometime about children’s music because our customers enjoy the children’s content that we provide for them.

Dennis: Definitely. Let’s talk. Check out that Mr. Rogers album, unless you already have. It’s kind of neat because it features artists we all know and love like Roberta Flack and BJ Thomas doing their versions of songs written by Fred Rogers.

Chris: Alright. He was from the Cleveland area.

Dennis: Actually Pittsburgh.

Chris: Pittsburgh, that’s what it was. I used to work with a guy who was family friends with him.

Louise: I can remember when my grandchildren were babies. They’re now 21 and 23, but when they were babies we used to sit and watch that every morning. They really loved Mr. Rogers.

Chris: I did, too. So do you guys watch any movies? Anything you like?

Louise: I tend to watch more what’s going on in the news, and again things like [National] Geographic and stuff like that. That is the kind of thing that would appeal to me. So I’m not really into current movies. I guess I’m kind of a fuddy-duddy when it comes to what’s going on in pop culture.

Chris: That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Dennis: Well I would love to go to movies more often because I have an extreme love affair with buttered popcorn.

Louise: I can’t stand that stuff.

Dennis: I’m a popcorn fan. But I have an eleven year old son who, believe it or not, is not a movie-goer. So we don’t get to go to the movies as often as I would like and when we do go, I think the top of the movie list is Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We’ve been to that three times. So, I don’t get to see as many adult movies as I would like, but that’s probably a good thing anyway.

Louise: Watch out when you say adult movies, Dennis. That has a different connotation.

Chris: Yeah, can I quote you on that Dennis?

Louise: That’s not what you mean is it?

Dennis: No that was not what I meant. (laughing)

This has been part three of our four-part interview with Louise Harrison and Dennis Scott. Be sure to visit News & Views Thursday to read the fourth and final part of our interview.

In the meantime, shop Fab Fan Memories and Beatles music and DVDs. You can also learn more about Louise's organization, Help Keep Music Alive, by visiting their website or Facebook page.

>>Read part one now.
>>Read part two now.

Louise Harrison Interview, Part 2 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Midwest Tape marketing specialist Chris Shope recently interviewed Louise Harrison, sister of Beatle George Harrison, and two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Dennis Scott about their new Grammy-nominated album, Fab Fan Memories, as well as their Help Keep Music Alive organization, George Harrison, and the Beatles.

Broken into four parts, below is the second portion of our interview. Click here for Part 1.

Louise with the Liverpool Legends.

Chris: What are some of your favorite memories on the [Fab Fan Memories] album?

Louise: Well, I don’t know. I can’t be very specific at this time because it’s been a while since I’ve listened to it, and I don’t remember all of the specifics. But I know throughout my life people will come up to me and whisper in my ear little stories about their own personal experience of the Beatles—far beyond the ones that are actually on the album. I’ve been told thousands of stories by Beatles fans and to me it’s just always very, very inspiring and very gratifying to hear the positive influence that the Beatles have had on people’s lives.

Dennis: Well, I can add to that by saying that in the editing process of putting the album together I did have opportunity to hear those stories over and over again. Some of them had to be edited down because they went on for quite some time. And I do have some of my favorites. I’m just amazed and touched by what some people have gone through to express their love, or to make a connection to the Beatles.

I love the story about the girl who managed to find the hotel room that the Beatles stayed in, and she brought an empty jar and she told the chamber maid "I’m not here to take anything. I just want a jar of air." She took a big jar, scooped it up, and put the cap on it. I mean that was a great story.

And then there’s a great story that actually intersected a fan’s life with Louise where this girl in Massachusetts, she was a junior reporter, she was still in high school, not even high school, and she and her friend got her editor to get them press passes, and she worked her way into a press conference where the Beatles were —I want to say in Boston. And because they were such devoted fans, they knew what Louise looked like and they spotted her and befriended her, and Louise was kind to them. That allowed them to meet the press manager who was there, and they got to go into the interview. I mean the things that people have gone through to get in there is just astounding. I wish I had some of the nerve that they did.

Chris: Sometimes it just takes twenty seconds of crazy courage, and doors open for you.

Dennis: Also, when you don’t know it’s impossible, you’re free to try and do it, I think.

Louise: Absolutely. I know my dad always used to say to me "don’t ever give up." So I’ve always liked that attitude, and when I’ve met people who’ve had that attitude, I’ve been willing to help them.

Dennis: Well, then there’s the story of the girl who was trying to get to the Beatles concert, but she and her family had gone out into the water on Long Island Sound for a sail when they ran out of wind and they couldn’t find their way back. She’s freaking out, saying "I’ve got to get to dry land and get to this concert."

They ended up banking the boat on the shore, randomly, and she had to run like two miles across the seashells and cut up her feet to get there but she did make it to the concert. That’s devotion isn’t it?

In fact, here’s what helped prompt the making of this album. In Nashville, as in so many other cities, they have a Beatles meet-up group. And I’ve become a member of that and attended some of the meetings, and usually when there’s a new member, they will get up and introduce themselves and say a little bit of why they are fans of the Beatles. As people were talking and telling their edited down stories, I thought this is just too good to be true. These are all little treasures and I wondered if anyone had done an album of this sort. Upon further research, I found out that nobody had. I said, "well, this is just an album that has to be made."

Chris: It makes for great, great audio.

Louise: Well, everybody I’ve sent it to so far really is enjoying it.

Dennis: It’s just very gratifying because when you start out, at least as a producer, I thought "‘well, I think it’s a good idea, but will everybody think it’s a good idea? Is it just good in my head, or is it really as good as I think it is? Conceptually anyway."

It just really feels good to know we were on the right track. Not only because the fans appreciate it, but I think in some ways it’s a little piece of the historical puzzle that hasn't been told in quite the same way that other documentaries have.

Chris: You’re continuing the conversation.

Louise: Exactly, the thing that I like about [the album] is that it’s not one of the glitzy things that have been put out. There’s been a lot of glitzy, high profile expensive stuff put out about the Beatles, and this is just something down to earth and real and not Vegas-glitz. This is the more normal stuff, which is far more real.

Chris: Yes, it’s about the people. There are the fans, and the meet-up groups, and both of you work with Beatles cover bands. Louise, you work with the Liverpool Legends over there in Branson. How often do they perform?

Louise: Well, we were doing five nights a week in Branson, but the season is over now, so we’ve started this Help Keep Music Alive program to raise funds for high schools and colleges all across the country, for their music departments. We’ve now just done the fourth show on that program. We’ve done one in Moline, one in Davenport, and now two in Chicago.

I have a board of directors and have formed a non-profit organization. We’re just getting ready to blast off with this program, and I’m hoping that more people hear about it. We have our website up now, and we will also have a dotcom. We are hoping that people will go to the website. And if they are music directors at a high school or college, and they would like for us to come and perform there and incorporate their music students into our concerts, we hope they let us know. That is what we've been doing.

We had 172 students at one concert behind the band [the Liverpool Legends] on risers playing all of their instruments, and it’s just absolutely fabulous. There’s a lot of travel involved and everything but it’s worthwhile because the atmosphere in these auditoriums, while they’re doing the shows, is just so magical. One of the kids the other night came up to the guy who plays my brother in the band, he was about 14 or 15, and he said to him "you know this is something I’m going to be able to tell my grandchildren about." Things like that make it so worthwhile.

Chris: It sounds like this organization has wonderful goals. This is definitely something people need to hear about.

Louise: Let’s face it: the whole thing is networking and getting the word out. We don’t have money to be able to do lots of advertising, and even if we had the money to do advertising, we would rather give it to the schools anyway. The more we can get the word out by word-of-mouth, the better.

Also, I just had a wonderful, wonderful break because the inspiration for this [Help Keep Music Alive] came from a PSA George had done in conjunction with Mr. Holland’s Opus, the movie. He had done a PSA urging people to help keep music alive in schools, to help fund the music departments, and so Mr. Holland’s Opus' people, who actually own that tape, have just now given me permission to use whatever part of the tape I want on our website. So I’ve got my own brother saying what we’re doing.

Dennis: I’m so glad that you work with libraries, Chris, because it seems like [our album] is such a good fit. It’s odd because the product feels like an Audiobook to me, although there isn't the reading aspect of it. But who knows, maybe that could be created and added on.

Chris: That’s true, it’s possible.

Louise: Well I’m working on my book at the moment, and I intend to make that into an audiobook as well.

Dennis: I know a good recording studio in Nashville, Louise.

Louise: I’m going to need somewhere to do it.

Dennis: Wow, that would be fun.

Chris: Dennis, you have your own recording company in Nashville?

Dennis: I do. I’m originally from New York, but I moved to Nashville about twenty years ago and really enjoy the creative element there. It’s such a community of musicians and artists and producers.

Chris: Researching music here at Midwest Tape, we have seen that Nashville is definitely a hub of activity for the music industry, and not just Country Music either.

Louise: I know a lot of people there in Nashville, musicians. There’s a guy called Gary Nicholson; he writes under the name of Whitey Johnson, I think, and then another friend I just met recently, Harry Stinson, who plays with the Marty Stuart Band. So, I have a lot of good friends there in Nashville.

Chris: Honestly, I’d love to go to Nashville and see the life-size replica of the Parthenon.

Louise: Yeah (laughs).

Dennis: Well, that’s only about fifteen minutes from where I live, we would be glad to have you. I’m lucky that I can do what I do from almost anywhere these days. But Nashville has such a great talent pool so there’s really no reason why I can’t live in a town where you can raise your family, but you can also park your car.

Louise: Yeah, yeah. When I lived in New York I used to have to send my car to New Jersey, to some friends over there, to have a garage for it.

This has been part two of our four-part interview with Louise Harrison and Dennis Scott. Be sure to visit News & Views next Tuesday to read part three of our interview.

In the meantime, shop Fab Fan Memories and Beatles music and DVDs. You can also learn more about Louise's organization, Help Keep Music Alive, by visiting their website or Facebook page.

>>Read part one now.

Louise Harrison Interview, Part 1 of 4

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Midwest Tape marketing specialist Chris Shope recently interviewed Louise Harrison, sister of Beatle George Harrison, and two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Dennis Scott about their new Grammy-nominated album, Fab Fan Memories, as well as their Help Keep Music Alive organization, George Harrison, and the Beatles. Broken into four parts, below is the first portion of our interview.

Louise: Hello

Chris: Hi Louise, this is Chris Shope at Midwest Tape. How are you today?

Louise: Oh, I’m fine. How are you?

Chris: I’m great, thanks! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today.

Louise: No problem. I just got back from Chicago. We just did two concerts at the weekend for Help Keep Music Alive. We did two high schools. That was a lot of fun and very, very successful.

Dennis: How did the kids play? Did they do a good job?

Louise: They are incredible. Not every single note out of their mouths is absolutely perfect, but it was such a tremendous atmosphere, all of these kids being so excited to be part of a real concert. It’s just wonderful, wonderful. You stand there and watch the kids, and you have chills all up and down your arms; all the hairs are standing on end. It’s just really, really wonderful.

Chris: I love the passion and joy kids bring to music.

Louise: That’s why it’s so important that we’re doing what we’re doing. With the way things are financially now all across the country, many of kids are deprived of any opportunity to learn music.

Chris: It’s unfortunate.

Louise: I know we can’t do an awful lot to help, but at least we’ll do whatever we can.

Chris: It’s wonderful to hear about someone who’s done so many awesome things giving back to the kids. Well, we here at Midwest Tape work hand-in-hand with libraries to help them achieve many of their goals. I think they’d be really interested to hear your new album, Fan Fab Memories, and what you guys would have to say about it.

Louise: Well I certainly enjoyed being able to participate in [the album] because for the last 48 years now I’ve been very much the mum of the global family of Beatles people. For me it’s always a great pleasure to be able to interact with all of the fans across the world and to be the mum figure. I’ve really enjoyed being part of it.

All of the people I’ve sent [the album] to so far have really enjoyed it, including my friend Angie McCartney, the second wife of Paul’s dad. She has a media company and wants to get the word out about it, too. It’s very much a network of people that you meet up with. Some of the people you’ve known in the past because we’re all on the same wavelength and we’re all basically trying to put across the same message of love and peace and harmony and all of that kind of stuff. It’s only natural that we meet up with each other from time to time.

Chris: The energy just pulls people together.

Louise: Exactly.

Chris: Now how did you and Dennis meet?

Louise: Well, we haven’t met yet, have we, Dennis?

Dennis: We haven’t met face-to-face yet but I feel like I’ve known Louise for a while now. She’s so congenial and it’s such an honor to work with her. I never dreamed, before I met her, that she had such a great broadcast background and experience. The moment we started recording together, all I had to do was turn the tape recorder on and let her do her thing. It was brilliant; it was exactly what the album needed. She’s the glue that holds the rest of the album together.

Louise: I’m glad I’ve finally reached my pinnacle; I’ve now become the glue.

Dennis: It’s even better than Elmer’s glue. It’s Louise glue.

Louise: Well, my name is Lou to begin with.

Chris: The Lou glue.

Louise: Yeah.

Chris: So what about the project most appealed to you, Louise?

Louise: Being able to be part of something where the fans get a chance to be heard in a really nice format. If you say anything nice about me it’s because I take after my parents, they expected me to behave. For years and years and years, they were the original mum and dad of the family of Beatles people all over the planet. They answered hundreds of thousands of fan letters over the years, and they encouraged me to always give back the love.

So, it’s being able to be part of that, and being able to allow the fans themselves to express what they have felt over the years, and how much the Beatles have meant in a positive way in many people’s lives. It’s really great to know that it’s still going on. And at our shows we have kids that are four or five years old, and they’re enjoying the whole positive experience of Beatles music as well. I’m just hopeful that it will keep on going and maybe improve this awful world that we’re getting into these days and make it get to be a little better.

Chris: It’s wonderful that you have embraced that role.

Louise: Absolutely. I didn’t have anything else to do (sarcasm).

Dennis: I’m sure that’s true (sarcasm). She’s always on the go.

Chris: What are the main characteristics that make up the bond that Beatles fans share?

Louise: Well, to me, I’ve found there are definitely two different kinds of people in the world, and you see that in politics, too. The people who are Beatles people have a tendency to be positive people and have hope and vision for the future and have compassion and friendliness and kindness in their hearts. Those are Beatles people. And I’m very fortunate, because of my Beatles relationship, that those are the kind of people that I spend most of my time talking to. I mean I occasionally run into somebody who hates the Beatles but it seems people like that, they hate everything. We’re seeing it in today’s world where there are a whole section of people who just hate everything, and you can’t change them, unfortunately.

Chris: But it’s great that the Beatles sort of gave a voice to all of the positive people.

Louise: Yes, yeah.

Dennis: I’ve only met one person who did not like the Beatles and he’s kind of a sourpuss. He’s a very talented musical arranger but he just didn’t get the Beatles. I’m surprised because I figured the more musical you are, the more you would appreciate their musicality, but there’s one in every crowd. So, let’s just focus on the positive people.

Louise: Yes, the thing to do I think is rallying together all of the people who are part of it. And I see it happening now, too, across the world, because the people who are the real people are the backbone of every country. They’re getting up and saying "hey, notice us, we’re the ones that are making it all happen. Pay a little attention to us and give us a break now and again."

And I’m just very, very encouraged that apathy seems to have gone out the window and people are taking an interest in what’s happening in their lives and speaking out. I’m going to be going to New York next week and I’ve asked if I can meet some of the people that are out on the streets and say hello to them.

Dennis: Louise, we should give you a tape recorder, and you can do Fab Fan Memories, Volume Two.

Louise: Hey, that’s a thought! I’ll get to be amongst them because I emailed someone this morning who’s setting up all of the media for me in New York. I said,"if you can, get me down there to talk to the people because if John [Lennon] was alive he’d be there leading them in singing 'Imagine.'"

This has been part one of our four-part interview with Louise Harrison and Dennis Scott. Be sure to visit News & Views on Thursday to read part two of our interview. In the meantime, shop Fab Fan Memories and Beatles music and DVDs. You can also learn more about Louise's organization, Help Keep Music Alive, by visiting their website or Facebook page.

Hot This Week: January 16

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

A crushing defeat against the New England Patriots hasn't slowed down the performance of Tebow's Through My Eyes. Meanwhile, the top dogs on DVD, CD, and Nonfiction all appear untouchable (of course, now I've jinxed them, so we'll see what the list looks like next week!), and two co-authored new releases have snagged the #1 and #2 spots on Fiction.

DVD

Adele, 21
Drake, Take Care
The Black Keys, El Camino
Young Jeezy, TM:103: Hustlerz Ambition
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto
Rihanna, Talk That Talk
SafetySuit, These Times
LMFAO, Sorry for Party Rocking
Now 40
Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials

Fiction Books

Private: #1 Suspect, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Love in a Nutshell, Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
11/22/63, Stephen King
77 Shadow Street, Dean Koontz
Locked On, Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
The Litigators, John Grisham
The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks
Kill Alex Cross, James Patterson

Nonfiction Books

Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
American Sniper, Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Catherine the Great, Robert K. Massie
Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow
Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Boomerang, Michael Lewis
In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson

3D Still Looking for Breakthrough

noreply@blogger.com (Jon Williams) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Over the past couple of years, the News & Views crew has kept you up-to-date with advances in 3D entertainment, both in the theater and at home. With the dawn of 2012 just behind us, it’s time for another look at where 3D stands and where it may be headed.

Just a Fad?
One question that has persisted throughout 3D’s rise is whether it really is the “next big thing” or just a passing fad. Several years in, the answer to that question is still not quite clear. One thing that is certain is that moviegoers have not fully embraced it as essential to the theater experience. When James Cameron’s Avatar blew up box offices in 2009, 80% of viewers ponied up the premium price to see it in 3D; in 2011, just 38% of audiences for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides did the same.¹

There are a number of possible explanations for such a precipitous drop in 3D viewership. For one, Avatar was a one-of-a-kind visual experience, whereas Pirates of the Caribbean was the fourth in a series, the first three of which did just fine in two dimensions. In addition, some people (notable film critic Roger Ebert among them) have found they just don’t care for 3D.² No matter the reason, though, there is no doubt that those in the film industry would prefer 3D box office numbers closer to Avatar’s levels.

3D Movies Are (Probably) Here to Stay
Despite the criticism and slower-than-expected adoption, there’s a lot of money to be made from 3D. That is the number one reason why 3D is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Between studios creating and/or purchasing 3D cameras and conversion processes and theaters investing in the projection equipment necessary to show 3D movies, there are a number of parties with a vested interest in continuing (and expanding) the 3D phenomenon.³

The challenge, then, is for moviemakers to learn how to use 3D in a way that is seen as more than just a novelty. Viewers don’t particularly want to pay premium prices and wear goofy glasses for 3D that doesn’t significantly enhance the whole viewing experience. Movie mogul Steven Spielberg agrees with this assessment: “[3D is] another tool in a very large tool chest…I think 3D should be used when there is something to be achieved from it, not just to be able to slam the 3D brand on a movie ad.”⁴

The good news is that a number of heavyweights are turning their attention to the 3D medium. Spielberg’s own The Adventures of Tintin reviewed well in 3D.⁵ Martin Scorsese recently bypassed his usual oeuvre of gritty gangster films to direct Hugo, a 3D family film that has blown viewers away.⁶ And of course, looming just over the horizon in December of 2012 is Peter Jackson’s return to the world of Tolkien with the first of his two Hobbit films (which sparked a point/counterpoint on the Forbes blog, debating the movie’s possible effect on 3D).

Of course, anything new is an unknown quantity, a gamble. Hollywood is dusting off a couple of big guns and bringing them back to the theaters in 3D in 2012. First up, George Lucas kicks off his project to convert the Star Wars franchise to 3D when Episode I: The Phantom Menace hits theaters on February 10. Then, in April, Avatar creator James Cameron will re-unleash his Titanic juggernaut.⁷ Those are two of the top-grossing films of all time; something tells me they’ll bring in a few dollars this time around, too.

Home Theater 3D
There’s a certain thrill in seeing a 3D movie in a theater; the large screen and dark auditorium create an immersive experience that can’t be replicated anywhere else. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to keep trying, though. Just as with movies in the theater, there’s money to be made on 3D in the home, with all those blockbusters coming to Blu-ray and consumer electronics companies constantly producing new components to provide better and better video quality.

One of those components, usually, is a pair of 3D glasses for each viewer. That can be a detriment to those looking to adopt 3DTV as purchasing a pair of glasses for each member of the family can get a little pricey. That obstacle may be on its way out, though, as Stream TV Networks is getting ready to unveil its new Ultra-D technology that will provide glasses-free 3D.⁸ The company’s CEO, Mathu Rajan, anticipates “…a significant shift in the way people view media, comparable to the transition from black and white to color TV.”

Home viewing also allows for a broader array of content than just blockbuster movies. In addition to 3D programming already available from network such as ESPN and Disney, Panasonic and NBC have teamed up to broadcast the upcoming Summer Olympics in 3D.⁹

What Do You Think?
When you see movies in the theater, do you opt for 3D or 2D? How about when you watch movies or television at home? Does your library offer 3D Blu-rays, or have you had any patron demand for them? Let us know your thoughts on 3D in the comments section below.

¹ http://www.forbes.com/sites/briancaulfield/2011/12/21/the-hobbit-teaser-trailer-arrives-will-it-save-3d-movies/
² http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/04/30/why-i-hate-3-d-and-you-should-too.html
³ http://mashable.com/2011/12/22/3d-movies-here-to-stay/
⁴ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jfvYsXgt2Y4EYxhPpARbGMYXPCJQ?docId=CNG.e9dc7a55046a0164bd0423311851575f.61
⁵ http://www.cinemablend.com/new/3D-Or-3D-Buy-Right-Adventures-Tintin-Ticket-28513.html
⁶ http://www.widescreenwarrior.com/2011/12/07/doc-rottens-3d-rant-hugo-the-history-of-film-and-the-future-of-cinema/
⁷ http://screenrant.com/titanic-3d-release-date-sandy-116169/
⁸ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stream-tv-networks-inc-prepares-to-launch-groundbreaking-3d-without-glasses-product-line-at-ces-2012-136091248.html
⁹ http://mashable.com/2012/01/10/panasonic-3d-nbc-olympics/

The Top 10 Workout Songs For Winter 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:38:00 +0000

This past September Midwest Tape began offering Zumba® Fitness’s Exhilarate Ultimate Zumba Fitness DVD Experience. This super popular workout program has been a huge hit in libraries, and with it being the New Year, the DVD Experience is likely to take off even more.

With that in mind, I thought I'd share RunHundred.com's top 10 most popular workout songs according to a poll completed by their readers. RunHundred is the web's most heavily-trafficked workout music blog, so they are definitely an authority on what people love to Zumba to.

Here's the list:

To find more workout songs—and hear next month's contenders—you and your patrons can check out RunHundred.com's free database. You can also browse Midwest Tape's extensive dance and electronic music collections at midwesttapes.com.

Hot This Week: January 9

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Hot This Week makes its return for 2012! The Broncos' big win over the Steelers last night has reintroduced Tim Tebow's Through My Eyes to the Nonfiction list, and Adele is carrying her success from 2011 into the New Year.

DVD

Adele, 21
Drake, Take Care
Young Jeezy, TM:103: Hustlerz Ambition
Lady Antebellum, Own the Night
LMFAO, Sorry for Party Rocking
Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials
The Black Keys, El Camino
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto
Rihanna, Talk That Talk
Now 40

Fiction Books

77 Shadow Street, Dean Koontz
11/22/63, Stephen King
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James
Locked On, Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney
Kill Alex Cross, James Patterson
The Litigators, John Grisham
The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks
Red Mist, Patricia Cornwell
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
Explosive Eighteen, Janet Evanovich

Nonfiction Books

Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson
Killing Lincoln, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow
Catherine the Great, Robert K. Massie
Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Being George Washington, Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe
Jack Kennedy, Chris Matthews
In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson

Two Titles Cancelled and Changed to Blu-ray/DVD Combos

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:38:00 +0000

Midwest Tape recently cancelled two titles due to their respective studios dropping the DVD-only versions.

In the first case, Disney, following a trend they exhibited with African Cats, decided to only distribute The Lady & the Tramp as a DVD + Blu-ray combo. Because the DVD-only version of the film is now unavailable, we had to cancel all DVD-only orders.

In the second case, Sony Pictures decided to only distribute Higher Ground as a Blu-ray + DVD combo. And again, we had to cancel the DVD-only version of the film.

These two cases differ in that The Lady & the Tramp is a DVD version that includes a Blu-ray copy of the film, while Higher Ground is a Blu-ray version that includes a DVD copy. We are noting all instances of these combinations and will continue to share any information on this packaging trend.

If you wish to order either of these combo titles, please visit www.midwesttapes.com. As always, please contact Customer Service at 800.875.2785 or info@midwesttapes.com with any questions or concerns.

2011 Year in Review: Films

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:19:00 +0000

This past February I detailed the 25 films to look forward to in 2011. Looking back at my list, I accurately predicted some—Moneyball, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Muppets—but many…or most…of the anticipated flicks turned out to be monumental busts or critically panned, like Sucker Punch, Green Lantern, and Battle Los Angeles..

Not entirely surprising, the year’s most well-reviewed and award-season-worthy films turned out to be the ones flying relatively under the radar. But what were 2011’s best films? Ask any Twihard and they’ll say Breaking Dawn; ask the Potterites and they’ll tell you to give the Best Picture Oscar to the entire Harry Potter franchise. Needless to say, “best” is always debatable. Still, here’s my round-up of the top movies of 2011.

Bridesmaids

Rarely do comedies, especially raunchy, R-rated ones, get their due. This year, though, Bridesmaids changed all that. While Judd Apatow applied his usual formula to the plot, the result was vastly better than any of his previous works. Many critics spent all their time talking about gender and how this film proves that women are, in fact, quite hilarious. But to focus purely on that actually discredits this film.

MovieFone says it best: “Bridesmaids proves that no joke is too raunchy and toilet humor knows no gender. While critics were too busy talking about what this movie means for ‘women in comedy,’ Bridesmaids simply did one thing: tell great jokes. Above and beyond everything else this year, this movie united its audience; man or woman, young or old, the overwhelming majority of viewers laughed their asses off at it, and turned it into a monster hit.”

If any comedy deserves to receive a Best Picture nomination from the academy, it’s this one.

The Descendants

Full of unexpected surprises, The Descendants, directed pitch-perfectly by Alexander Payne (Sideways), dishes out laughs and tears. It’s George Clooney’s performance, though, that truly makes this film. Many say this is the performance of Clooney’s career (with Batman & Robin coming in as a close second—kidding!) What draws me to this film, though, is the screenplay. The story is engrossing and relatable from start to finish.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

My favorite film of 2010 was David Fincher’s The Social Network. No surprise then that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo made my year in review. Granted, I was once a skeptic of this film, but I have since been converted. Honestly, I was hook, line, and sinker as soon as I saw the trailer. The film, though, does live up to the hype, including Rooney Mara, who is a complete revelation as Lisbeth.

So why see this film if you’ve already seen the Swedish version? According to Entertainment Weekly, “Fincher and his splendid cast…do what the 2009 Swedish film version couldn't: They tease out the full mythological grandeur of the material. They have made a 21st-century vision of women who recoil from, or take revenge on, the men who fear and loathe them.”

The Artist

A black-and-white silent film set in Old Hollywood is now the favorite for awards season? If you’re wondering how, look no further than the director and his cast. As Rolling Stone puts it: “…director Michel Hazanavicius has style to burn and unexpected soul. Jean Dujardin is stupendous as the screen idol who resists talkies until a perky starlet (Bérénice Bejo) convinces him that art should never be afraid to embrace new forms.” This film, though, teaches us to appreciate old forms. It is also a complete crowd-pleaser—go ahead, try not to smile while watching The Artist.

This film is currently the Best Picture favorite for the Oscars. If it were to win, it’d be the first silent film to take home the award since 1927’s Wings.¹

Drive
2011 might very well be the year of Gosling. He breaks up street fights, loves his dog, and has inspired a few internet memes. He also stars in many solid films, one in particular being the super-cool Drive. While Gosling doesn’t say much in this flick, he puts on an amazing performance. The film also boasts several awesome car chase scenes and a great soundtrack. It’s also completely unexpected: “Drive looks like one kind of thriller in the ads, and it is that kind of thriller, but also another and a rebuke to most of the movies it looks like,” says Roger Ebert.

Hugo
It’s true: Martin Scorsese directed a family-friendly movie based on a book and shot in 3D. And surprise! It’s phenomenal. Based off The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Hugo is Scorsese’s love letter to cinema. It enchants and delights; the typically unnecessary 3D effect is quite effective; and most importantly, it “reminds us all of why the movies are a place to see dreams come true.”²

The Help

The Help actually didn’t make that many “best of” lists—not compared to the rest of the films in this recap, anyway. But I saw it; I liked it; and I completely understand why there’s Oscar buzz circling around Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. In addition to their (and Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard’s) brilliant performances, this movie has a great plot arc, solid dialogue, and as much humor as heart.

There was some controversy surrounding it, as MovieFone points out: “…there are a lot of reasons The Help shouldn't work—mostly because it puts Hollywood gloss on the civil rights movement and hedges a bit into white-savior myth territory." But social implications aside, "this is just old-fashioned moviemaking of the highest order.”

Midnight in Paris

I did not like Vicky Cristina Barcelona, so I was a bit nervous about this flick. However, after many good reviews, I gave it a whirl and was more than pleasantly surprised. I loved it. Touted by many as Woody Allen’s best film in years, Midnight in Paris is at once a love letter to Paris and a fabulous daydream for lit majors. It also pokes fun at people’s disappointment with modernity and their subsequent nostalgic yearning for past golden eras. I'd yearn, too, if it got me a trip to Paris and a chance to hang with Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, and Josephine Baker.

Moneyball

Talk about Oscar bait. However, this film released pre-award season, so it has since been frequently overshadowed. While it probably won’t be up for Best Picture, Clooney may find he has some competition in the Best Actor category. Brad Pitt hits it out of the park with his performance as eccentric and flamboyant Oakland A’s general manager, Billy Beane. And director Bennett Miller, doing his first film since Capote, sticks to the book and, according to The Chicago Tribune, “has asserted his rightful place on the shortlist of excellent American directors.”

War Horse

War Horse is a movie you see during Christmas weekend. It is family-friendly and cinematically gorgeous. It is light-hearted, yet it tugs hardcore on your heartstrings. And it makes you leave the theater wanting to be a better person…and wishing you had a pet horse. Perhaps these are the reasons it has been so well-reviewed. It may also be the reason it hasn’t made that many “best of” lists. It intentionally runs you through an emotional ringer, and it is schmaltzy, “but in the best way possible—a throwback to a time when people put aside their differences for the greater good. In 2011, that idea is quaint; perhaps War Horse will remind everyone that quaint isn't always bad.”³

Beginners

Deemed “the sleeper hit of the year” by MovieFone, Beginners stars Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor convincingly playing father and son. This semiautobiographical drama is immensely original and very smart. “The movie isn't for every taste,” says Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly. “But that's exactly what I love about Beginners: It's as true to its own character as the men in this optimistic tale are to theirs.”

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Elizabeth Olsen steps out of the shadow of her sisters and all their zany adventures. This movie about identity is carried by the performances of Olsen, who plays a girl who escapes a cult, and Winter’s Bone’s John Hawkes, who plays the cult’s sinister leader. Raw emotions and dread fill this movie, and many have touted it as, coincidentally, this year’s Winter’s Bone. Here’s hoping it skyrockets Olsen’s career like Bone did for Jennifer Lawrence, who happens to star in my most anticipated movie for 2012, The Hunger Games.

Honorable Mentions…

I know I’ve neglected so many fine films in my recap, so I’ll take the easy way out and quickly list some “honorable mentions” for 2011: Weekend, A Separation, Young Adult, The Muppets, My Week with Marilyn, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Shame, Super 8, Attack the Block, Margaret, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Margin Call, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and even though they’ve made just as many worst lists as they have great lists, I’ll tack on Tree of Life and Melancholia.

What titles do you deem the best of 2011? What are you most looking forward to in 2012?

¹ http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/12/the_best_films_of_2011.html

² http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676150/best-movies-of-2011.jhtml

³ http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/11/03/best-movies-of-2011/#photo-49

More Best of Lists
The 10 Best Movies of 2011(Rolling Stone)
Top 20 Movies of 2011 (Roger Ebert)
Highest Scoring Movies of 2011 on Rotten Tomatoes
The Best Films of 2011 (The New York Times)
Best Movies of 2011 (Slate)
10 Best Movies (and 5 Worst) of 2011: Lisa Schwarzbaum's Picks (Entertainment Weekly)
10 Best Movies (and 5 Worst) of 2011: Owen Gleiberman's Picks (Entertainment Weekly)
10 best movies of 2011 (Chicago Tribune)
10 worst movies of 2011 (Chicago Tribune)
Best Movies of 2011 (MTV)
The Year's Best Movies (WSJ)
At the movies: Top 10 in 2011 (Click on Detroit)
Best films of 2011 (Miami Herald)
Year in Review 2011 (MovieFone)

Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

2011 Year in Review: Music

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:01:00 +0000

Once again it's time for our Year in Review series. Here, Danielle Desmond, our lead music selector and CD standing order expert, tackles the best of 2011's music.

If the technology world had to pick one stand out person for 2011, they would say Steve Jobs. If the music world had one, chances are you would hear the name Adele. She raked in six Grammy nominations, made the cover of Billboard’s year end issue, and has hit number one on Billboard's Top Artists, Top 200 Billboard Titles, and Hot 100 Songs lists. Needless to say the 23-year-old British pop star has rocked 2011 with her heartfelt and soulful hits, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.”

I can’t give Adele all the credit for 2011, though. Katy Perry’s sophomore album, Teenage Dream, tied Michael Jackson’s Bad for most number one hits on one album, and Billboard named Taylor Swift Woman of the Year. Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, the Black Keyes, and Florence + the Machine all topped the Billboard Charts in 2011 as well.

Moving from the charts to the arenas, 2011 also marked the year of unforgettable tours. From U2’s 360 and Bon Jovi to Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, this year proved to be quite a year for concerts. So much so, in fact, Randy Phillips, president and CEO of the world’s second-largest promoter, AEG Live, called 2011 “the biggest year in the history of the company” (Billboard Magazine). The tour I am anticipating, though, happens to hit in 2012—the rumored Beach Boys 50^th Anniversary Tour.

U2 performing in Philadelphia on their 360 Tour.

Moving onto children’s music, our little listeners don’t know how good they have it. Kidz Bop 20—an album of kid-friendly renditions of hot hits from the radio, performed by young performers—was a big winner this year amongst the kiddos. So much so, that it earns my recommendation as the most family-centric album of 2011. Other albums that were huge this year for children include Disney Princess Fairy Tale Songs, Disney Lullaby Album, Dan Zanes’ Little Nut Tree, and any of the Rockabye Baby Lullaby Renditions. I’m sure all of the aforementioned titles made many car trips easier and definitely more enjoyable for both parents and children.

A surprise this year was the breakup of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers R.E.M. After 31 years of unforgettable music, they said goodbye. However, they didn’t leave us empty handed. The band released a two-disc greatest hits album, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, in November. I believe the old saying is when one door closes, another opens, and this is exactly fitting for the music industry that had chart-topping breakout artists arise in 2011.

Country music band The Band Perry’s hit “If I Die Young” played on pop and country music radio stations over and over again, earning the brother-sister trio nominations at the American Music Awards for Country’s Favorite Album and Favorite Group. Indie pop band Foster the People had everyone whistling their ever-so-clever tune “Pumped Up Kicks,” which was very popular on NPR.com and charted on the Billboards almost instantly.

So which breakout artist should you be on the lookout for 2012? I’d say Yelawolf, James Blake, Christina Perri, JCole, Katy B, Civil Wars, and Lana Del Rey.

Moving onto Broadway, 2011 marked a major year for new cast recordings. From Godspell to Anything Goes, Midwest Tape has all the Broadway musical soundtracks., including the new smash show The Book of Mormon. Written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, The Book of Mormon hit NYC in March of 2011 and has since won nine Tony Awards. ‘‘These [musical] numbers are witty, ridiculous, impeccably executed and genuinely stirring,” said Ben Brantley of The New York Times. It’s definitely a musical that will have you crying—tears of laughter, that is.

Book of Mormon cast

And now let’s remember 2011’s biggest musical meme: Rebecca Black. Remember her? Who doesn’t? “It’s Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday!” Okay, that’s enough of that. Makes you wonder, though, what musical meme will match that of Black in 2012.

Moving now from the interwebs to television: American Idol had two challengers this year, and I am not talking about Dancing with the Stars. The hit program on FOX wasn’t the only show that had America calling into vote. NBC’s The Voice premiered in April with hot celebrity judges Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton. And FOX's The X Factor premiered this past summer. Both The Voice and Idol provided America with new talents such as Scotty McCreery (American Idol winner), Javier Colon (The Voice winner), and Dia Frampton (The Voice runner-up), all of whom have had successful albums released this year. The X Factor's winner, Melanie Amaro, nabbed a $5 million recording contract with Syco Music and Sony Music, the largest guaranteed prize in television history. Her album is slated to release in 2012.

The Voice returns to NBC on February 5 after the Super Bowl, while American Idol premieres January 18. Some TV critics are wondering, though, with the successful debut of Simon Cowell’s The X Factor and The Voice, will American Idol still be a fan favorite?

The judges of The Voice.

Look out Glee! Because the musical TV show I’m predicting will be a hit for 2012 is Steven Spielberg’s SMASH, starring Catherine McPhee from American Idol, Debra Messing, and Angelica Houston. SMASH takes place in New York City and is based around a group of actors putting on a new Broadway musical. SMASH premieres on NBC February 6. Watch the trailer below.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added a few members to their family. Inductees for 2011 included Alice Cooper, Neal Diamond, Dr.John, Darlene Love, Tom Waits, Jack Holzman, Art Rupe, and Leon Russell.

In order to truly appreciate this year in music, we have to remember those whose talents we’ve lost. The music industry mourned the death of talented singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse. Amy passed away on July 23, 2011. Winehouse was the first British woman to win five Grammys. Her last album Lioness: Hidden Treasures was released on December 6.

Yes, we have heard a lot in the world of music this year. Most of whom we hope will not go way in 2012. I know I’m hoping to fill my music collection with more Adele, Florence & the Machine, Nicki Minaj, and Lana Del Rey (watch her new single "Video Games" below).

Well, that’s my music recap for 2011, and 2012 it is just around the corner! What new music and tours are you hoping for this year?

2011 Year in Review: Audiobooks

noreply@blogger.com (Char Bohnett) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:32:00 +0000

Once again it's time for our Year in Review series. Here, Reece Churilla, one of our audiobook selectors and marketers, tackles 2011's audiobook releases.

From the shifting paradigms of scientific discovery to the rise of digital devices that gave us new modes of expression and communication, 2011—now nearing its eventful end—has come to represent a lightning-paced span of great change and transition. At once, separate revolutions carried the year in retrospect: a shift in social awareness spawned the Occupy movement, and eBooks powerfully proved a dominating force in the publishing stratosphere.

We will remember it as a time of healing from tragedy, in the reflection of ten years after 9/11, and in the moving story of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who showed us that no degree of brutality could trump the strongest willpower; that regardless of our differences, love and hope are our greatest unified virtues.

Although much of the publishing world has focused on its own evolving industry, it’s necessary to acknowledge the spectacular writing produced this year. What’s more, we should emphasize the enduring importance of librarians and the precious role they play in our society, our communities, and even within the curious minds of children who find sanctuary in our libraries, while budgets continue to be slashed and operations halted.

Audiobooks are recognized as a staple of libraries nationwide, but they are much more than vocalized books: They are the accompaniment of an old friend on a long, solitary drive, or an entertaining voice to enjoy at the gym; the gentle teacher to youth and the disabled—or any audio lover, really—opening the doors to the heart of imagination. Indeed, one would find it difficult to select the top audiobooks from a year’s worth of tremendous releases, but I’ve put together a list of favorites that exhibits the absolute best qualities of today’s spoken word.

Fiction

At 25, Tea Obreht became the youngest author ever to win The Orange Prize for her debut novel, The Tiger’s Wife, which was also a finalist for The National Book Award. Obreht stormed into the scene with this tremendous tale of Natalia, a young doctor, who seeks to uncover the truth behind the death of her grandfather in an unnamed Balkan country reeling from war. AudioFile praised the audiobook, calling it “superb listening.”

New York Times Best Selling author Ann Patchett—the dazzling writer behind the memorable Bel Canto—echoes the adventurous peril and mystique of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness with State of Wonder, a gorgeous novel that has proven a mainstay of the Best Sellers lists since its release. The title garnered an AudioFile Earphones award, and Library Journal gave it a starred review.

One would be hard set to find a single yearly recap that didn’t include Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Marriage Plot, but don’t quote me on that! Regardless, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s latest effort is an outright gem with starred reviews from PW, Kirkus, Library Journal, Booklist, and 4 out of 4 stars from USA Today. Simply put, this title is a wonderful addition to Eugenides’ immaculate oeuvre, and the audiobook (another Earphones winner) does justice to the text.

According to The Guardian, Haruki Murakami is considered “among the world’s greatest living novelists,” and 1Q84, the author’s magnum opus, does not disappoint. (While on vacation in Tokyo, I had the opportunity to read Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, a tender love song to coming-of-age in Japan in the 1960s and 70s.) The magic and enchantment of 1Q84 springs to life in the audio tome and leaves listeners transformed.

My final pick for fiction is a nod to the inner nerd in me. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One remains the year’s quintessential sci-fi yarn, because of its elaborate story rife with '80s pop culture references! USA Today called it, “Enchanting…Willy Wonka meets the Matrix.” Neither reference is actually from the '80s, however, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of cyberpunk nostalgia in their audiobooks?

Non-Fiction

In the non-fiction realm, I marketed an armada of memoirs this year, but it’s Tina Fey’s Bossypants that takes the cake. Surely, everyone agrees, right? Hilarious comedian and SNL Dominatrix Tina Fey humorously reveals her personal story, while offering advice to aspiring females looking to make it big in a male-dominated industry. In fact, she is so funny that the audiobook is up for a Grammy.

I’m a fan of raw and rugged writing—Donald Ray Pollock, anyone?—and the memoir Townie by Andre Dubus III aroused in me dual sensations of disgust and admiration. Dubus, author of House of Sand and Fog, chronicles his evolution from dysfunctional youth to acclaimed writer, following in the footsteps of his father who left his family when he was 10. The author’s candid reading captivates in audio.

The final biographical selection may be the most poignant, and that is Gabrielle Giffords’ and husband Mark Kelly’s Gabby, a painfully honest account of the congresswoman’s path to recovery after miraculously surviving a gruesome shooting. It is truly a moving and life-instilling portrait of love and perseverance. Giffords herself reads the final chapter of the audiobook.

David McCullough has created a legendary work of art all his own in illuminating the untold story of the countless artists that embarked for Paris between 1830 and 1900. The Greater Journey delves deep into this profound epoch of cultural diffusion, earning starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus, among a sea of praise across the board. Pulitzer Prize-winning McCullough has a knack for historical non-fiction, and the audiobook is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Rounding out the true-life genre is Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts, another historical masterwork that lit up The New York Times Best Sellers list. Where McCullough channeled old-time Paris, Larson meticulously gives descriptive form to Berlin in 1933, during Hitler’s rise to power. Larson transports you to this precarious era, wonderfully articulated in audio by narrator Stephen Hoye.

Children’s & Young Adult

Yes, the success of The Hunger Games has inspired a new wave of dystopian literature for young adults; however, you won’t see any of that here. My favorite youth audiobooks of 2011 steer clear of prescriptive despair, angst-ridden supernatural pining, and even vampires—although there is a heavy dose of fantasy.

Franny Billingsley’s Chime, a National Book Award Finalist, puts a spin on the classic fairy tale with this darkly alluring story about a teenage witch, Briony, who desperately fights to save her ailing sister’s life. Billingsley deftly imagines Briony’s world, weaving an unforgettable fabric of redemption that rings true to teens today. In audio, Susan Duerden commands the narration with a winning performance. The audiobook received a starred review from School Library Journal.

Newbery Honor author Gary D. Schmidt penned Okay for Now as a companion to The Wednesday Wars, but it actually stands alone as a beautiful novel. The book follows fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck, the new kid in town just trying to get by while the whole world seems to be against him. Despite Doug’s circumstances, Schmidt carries the plot with bright optimism and humor. Okay for Now was also nominated for The National Book Award, and Booklist called the audio adaptation a “grand-slam production.”

No super sleuth is more ubiquitous and clever than Sherlock Holmes, so clever, in fact, it begs the question: How has Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective persisted for over a hundred years? While it may first appear “elementary”—and sadly without Watson—Andrew Lane’s Death Cloud explores a teenaged Holmes on the heels of a thrilling murder mystery. With a bit of romance and much adventure, the revamp is an engaging introduction to the character. School Library Journal noted the similarity to Doyle’s original work, awarding Death Cloud a starred review.

I did a double-take when I read that John Stephens, author of The Emerald Atlas, was also the executive producer for Gossip Girl, but it makes sense when you consider the cinematic pacing of Stephens’ astonishing fantasy debut, the first in a projected series. Three orphans are charged with fulfilling an ancient prophecy in a magical world wrought with enchantment and whimsy. The audiobook received stellar reviews, a treat for audio lovers of all ages.

And in our modern age of physical superficiality and aggressive, black-eye-consumerism, Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens is like a cathartic breath of fresh air. After all, what could possibly be more appealing than a story about a group of beauty pageant contestants stranded on a deserted island? Well, to answer that question, the inclusion of a dreadlocked alien-monster with a shoulder gun, clawed fangs, and heat-vision picking them off…but that’s not in this book.

In fact, Bray’s satirical romp is much more tongue-in-cheek. What makes the audio a must-listen is the author’s over-the-top reading, a performance that is “absolutely brilliant,” according to Booklist. For a taste of Bray’s humor, check out this funny book trailer:

If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out the audiobooks that stood out for me this year as well as any I may have missed in this recap. There were too many splendid productions to rave about it all in a single post, so feel free to express your picks for your favorite audio releases of 2011 in the comments section below.

Happy listening, and happy holidays!

-Reece Churilla

Hollywood Foreign Press Announces Golden Globe Nominees

noreply@blogger.com (Jon Williams) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:33:00 +0000

The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually to recognize the year’s best films and television programs. The 2012 event officially got underway on December 15 when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced this year’s award nominees.

You can view the full list of nominees here. The Artist raked in six film nominations, while The Descendants and The Help came away with five. On the TV side, Downton Abbey and Mildred Pierce each led with four nominations, while Homeland pulled in three. It was a good haul for HBO and Showtime (26 nominations) and new shows (7 out of 10 best series nominations).

As always, though, the most interesting chatter revolves not around who got nominated, but who got left out. There weren’t too many surprises in the film categories. One interesting note is that Ryan Gosling was nominated for his performances in The Ides of March and Crazy, Stupid, Love, but not for Drive. The hilarious Melissa McCarthy, who just picked up a SAG Award nomination, didn’t make the best supporting actress category for her performance in Bridesmaids. However, her costar, Kristen Wiig, did receive a nomination.

The TV nominations saw a little more of the zaniness that is the hallmark of the Golden Globes. Brand new shows like American Horror Story, Boss, and New Girl garnered series nominations, while heavyweights like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead (a personal favorite of mine) did not. Previous actor/actress winners Jim Parsons, Chris Colfer, and Katey Sagal are all absent this year, although Parsons’ Big Bang Theory costar Johnny Galecki received a nomination instead.

So, who’s going to win? My crystal ball is a bit hazy, but here’s how I see the major categories shaking out:

Best Picture – Drama: The Descendents will probably win, but don’t count out The Help.

Best Actor – Drama: Tough call with all the heavyweights in this category; I’ll go with George Clooney in The Descendents.

Best Actress – Drama: The smart money is on Viola Davis in The Help.

Best Picture – Comedy/Musical: I’d be surprised if it’s anything other than The Artist.

Best Actor – Comedy/Musical: The Artist is going to have a big night; Jean Dujardin takes home this award.

Best Actress – Comedy/Musical: Michelle Williams, for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn.

Best TV Drama: Boardwalk Empire, which won last year, will be hard to beat. Nonetheless, I’m going with another HBO hit, Game of Thrones.

Best TV Comedy: Glee won last year, and Glee will win again this year.

Best Miniseries/TV Movie: PBS gets a win with Downton Abbey.

Of course, another intriguing question surrounding this year’s Golden Globes ceremony has nothing to do with the awards themselves: which celebrities will host Ricky Gervais skewer with his rapier wit? We’ll all find out when this year’s ceremony airs January 15, 2012, live on NBC.

SmartBrowse "2012 Golden Globe Nominations" at midwesttapes.com to shop the movies and TV shows that were nominated. Let us know what you think of the nominees and our predictions in the comments section below.