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Archives for March 2010

RUSH enters 2010 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

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RUSH will be inducted to this years 6th Annual Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

rush

The event will be taking place on March 28 at The Toronto Centre for the Arts. Also included in this years inductees is Robert Charlebois.

RUSH declined playing for the event despite the Hall of Fame’s insistence. They instead wanted to follow proper protocol having other acts pay tribute to them by performing their own unique take on some of the RUSH’s most popular songs. Man this is gonna be a great show!

Rush, all the worlds a stageFirst up will be Hamilton folk/roots musician Jacob Moon, at Rush’s invitation, will perform his solo acoustic version of “Subdivisions,” which has gone viral on YouTube.

Then there’s St. Catharine’s own rockers Alexisonfire. They will do their interpretation of Tom Sawyer and last but not least California bass virtuoso and Geddy Lee protege Les Claypool, will do his rendition of The Spirit of Radio.

There will be another tribute to the band by way of a Documentary. It will highlight the rise of RUSH’s past 40 years as Canada’s most celebrated band! it will be by filmmakers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn titled RUSH: Beyond The Lighted Stage. The premiere will take place at this years Hot Docs Festival from April 29 through to May 9 (see www.hotdocs.ca/festival).

So hats off to the old boys because it’s about time!

Hey RUSH, Keep on Jammin’




Where do you view music video’s?

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Where do you see you favorite band’s music video, on the internet (Youtube or other internet sites) or on TV? I have to admit that I view pretty much all music video’s on youtube more then on TV. I’m just not all that interested in the programing of today’s music stations except maybe for AUX TV or HDNet concert series.

Way back in the day you could only see band video’s on dedicated music channels like MTV, MuchMusic … Where did you first see Micheal Jackson’s Thriller on? For me it was at a buddy of mine when we were watching the Toronto based MuchMusic channel. To be honest with you, I never ever come across this station while I’m TV surfing. In today’s world, Music video’s seem to be a endangered species on TV but with the advent of the internet they appear to be thriving.

Most company exec’s don’t think that this means the end of music video’s, it just that today’s bands are using a different form of media in which to launch their products to you. As well as, we now have the power and options to view them anywhere and at our convenience. An example of this is with your cellphone. When I was a kid in the early 80’s, cellphones where mainly used for business people or for those people who had more dollars then sense. Man have things changed since then!

“Now that MTV has actually come out and literally said, ‘We don’t play music videos anymore’ … people don’t have to make videos to fit into the MTV mould, and that mould was you essentially had to make a commercial with your song in it,” Canadian Press

So my question to you is where do you view your favorite music video’s?

Keep on Jammin’

Pink Floyd stops sales of individual songs by EMI

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Pink Floyd band membersPink Floyd has stopped EMI from selling individual songs on their on line store. Pink Floyd has always created concept albums that are meant to be listened to uninterrupted from start to finish. This is the band’s trade mark that that they are fighting for her folks. The super group had to wait for the result of a British court ruling this week that ruled in favour of the band ideals! Good for the band!

I can see that some fans might be only willing or able to pay for certain segments, which EMI considers individual songs, of the album. EMI is saying that is what the public wants and that is what they will get come hell or high water! This model of business would certainly bring in more revenues for EMI. And as we all now know, EMI is in big trouble, just look at some previous posts on this blog.

From a business perspective this is a sound platform to explore. As for the artistic integrity of the bands ideals … To add insult to injury for EMI, they also have to pay the band’s legal costs, estimated at £60,000. Even the Rolling Stones left these clowns in 2007 when the current owners, bought by Mr. Guy Hands of the British private equity firm, Terra Firma Capital Partners, in 2007. Losers!

Now rival Warner Music, led by Edgar Bronfman Jr.(Canadian boy), is said to be watching EMI’s problems with baited breath. Warner tried to buy EMI four years ago and may soon get a chance to buy it, as they say, for a song.

The British court ruling stopped EMI’s single song sales from Dark Side and other Pink Floyd albums, pointing to a contract forbidding the band’s albums from being sold in any other form without written consent. EMI had argued that the contract applied only to records, not downloads. The judge disagreed, saying the contracts protected “the artistic integrity of the albums.” Many of Pink Floyd’s albums are designed as continuous entities with songs flowing into one another.

So I hope that this will be a standard template for future artist’s contracts that they will sign with their record/distribution company. Imagine you being in a contract like this, with everything clearly stated in black and white and you give the company the benefit of the doubt but you still get screwed like this? I’d be be, how about you?

Keep on Jammin'(and read the fine print before you put your name to a document)

Gilligan’s Island the movie

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Gilligan’s Island the movie sounds like a big stretch but ah, what the hell. I can imagine the set now but I sure hope they keep that old coconut that still must be kicking around the island somewhere.

The theme song for this one is classic! It’s one of those songs that I love to play on my acoustic … late at a party that is! I have a collection of TV theme songs from past that are fun to play as well. Some of them are Beverley Hill Billie’s, The Brady Bunch, Flintstones (remember John Candy singing that one?), Friends and Green Acres! I remember playing Gilligan’s Island theme song in a bar one night as just a simple/stupid filler for a late set and to my amazement it just about brought the house down! The audience singing along WAY OUT OF KEY but it looked like they enjoyed it?! Music sure does calm the drunkin’ beast(s)!

Now for some interesting facts about the show!

  • In the very first shot of the opening credits, the American flag over the harbor can be seen flying at half-mast. Reason: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, shortly before the shot was filmed.(This one I find the most interesting)
  • Jerry Van Dyke turned down the role of Gilligan.
  • Raquel Welch auditioned for the role of Mary Anne.
  • The first season had the cast using cups that were made from real coconuts. However, they found that the cups were porous and soaked through like they were sweating. Thus in the later seasons, the coconut cups were ceramic replicas.
  • Gilligan saved the Skipper’s life once when they were in the Navy. A depth charge had broken loose from it’s mount and was rolling across the deck. Gilligan pushed Skipper out of the way. Skipper would later say that Gilligan didn’t save his life, he only prolonged it.
  • “The radio” seen in virtually every episode was a Packard-Bell AM Radio, Model AR-851. The small silver handle and telescoping antenna were added by the prop department (despite the fact that AM radios do not use telescoping antennas). The antenna was likely added to lend credence to the castaways’ ability to pick up radio signals so far from civilization.
  • The island shown in the opening and closing credits is actually located in Kaneohe Bay, about a mile offshore from the island of Oahu, in Hawaii.

The script of Gilligan’s Island the movie is to be written by Brad Copeland which is suppose to start be in production in 2011. Here’s the an idea for the cast that has been floating around on line for some time now.

Gilligan: Michael Cera
The Skipper: Zach Galifianakis
Thurston Howell III: Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller) this one is the best by far!
Lovey Howell: Judi Dench
The Professor: Jeff Daniels
Mary Ann: Anne Hathaway
Ginger: Christina Hendricks

So far I like it already! Any other personal picks for the members of this one? Come on, give it a go it’ll be fun!!!

Keep on Jammin’

Wanna buy Abbey Road’s Studio?

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Here’s a post I wrote a couple of weeks ago BUT DID NOT POST. This is when the story was first brought to the world’s attention! Thank God it didn’t end that way!

The world renown recording company that the Beatles once used and then purchased, has fallen on bad financial times and is about to be sold off to reduce the company’s, EMI and venture capitalists Terra Firma’s, debt. Doing so will go far in putting the company back in the black but at what cost?

Just think of some of the history or this location. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin, Mike Oldfield and Jeff Beck are just some of the bands that wielded their musical magic in this place!

It originally opened in 1931 by the Gramophone Company, which later became EMI. Abbey Road, which began life as a Georgian town house built in 1831, has an impressive history. Aside from the Beatles, who recorded most of their 1960s hit singles and albums there under the direction of EMI house producer George Martin.

It’s not known if the company will sell either the brand name or the physical location which is in St. John’s Wood in North London, England. It could bring into the company’s coffers up 25 to 30 million pounds ($39 million to $47 million US).

God I hope they don’t pave paradise and put up a condo and a parking lot!

And now for the happy ending!

The financially troubled record company issued a statement following days of press reports the studio — made famous by The Beatles “Abbey Road” album — would be put up for sale. The statement noted that English Heritage — which advises the British government on historical buildings and monuments — has accelerated plans to protect Abbey Road
, which has been losing money for several years.

I guess our prayers have been answered!

Keep on Jammin’

Simon and Garfunkle in Toronto

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Simon and Garfunkel are going to be playing May 12th, 2010 in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre and I hope to be there! These guys have produced so many great memorable tunes that it’s not funny! Do you plan to go and see them on their up coming tour?

I remember seeing these guys in the late 80’s at the old CNE bandstand and I’ll never forget it. We had concert seating which was like a free for all at the front of the stage. We brought a small blanket and some beverages, if memory serves me correctly. Our piece of the turf was center-right of the stage about 30 feet away.

The place was full of people sprawling out where ever they could with blankets, pick nick baskets full of food and wine. I was totally surprised to see little kids as young as 2-3 years running around everywhere! It had a nice small town fair feel to it.

The best part of that show for me was when they performed Scarborough Fair. For many year I’ve attempted to play this song and it turned out fine but this was the time to see it done right!

Before the song began, I noticed Paul Simon was practicing the beginning of it, so I asked this guy beside us if I could use his binoculars. I watched every single movement of his fingers and I found out that I was doing it ok except for a few parts. When I got home all I did was play the hell out of that song and I finally have it perfect!

So that was my favorite part of the show. Does anyone out there have a neat Simon and Garfunkel moment that they’d like to share with the rest of us?

Keep on Jammin’

One fishy looking guitar

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I’m not really too sure what to think about a guitar that is created to look like a fish. It looks kinda neat and might drive your cat crazy but besides that I wonder how this one plays? Maybe it’s for the fisherman’s inner guitar player in him/her. I’d love to see it’s case!

fishyguitar.jpg

Keep on Jammin’


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