A record by psychedelic indie act Animal Collective has been named best album of 2009 in a round-up of end-of-year polls by UK music critics.

Merriweather Post Pavilion, their eighth studio album, topped retailer HMV’s annual “poll of polls” survey.

HMV rock and pop manager John Hirst said the New York band’s album “sounded like nothing else out there”.

Nominations from press and online critics in the UK and Ireland were collated, with 34 organisations polled.

The music retailer goes through this process each December to find the album with the greatest acclaim across the spectrum.

And in the event of a tie, where two or more albums receive the same number of nominations, the album with the highest combined placings in the critics‘ selections has been given the higher position.

One notable trend was that eight out of the top 10 acts in the poll are signed to independent record labels.

Another pattern saw New York-based bands dominate the higher ranks in the survey, with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear joining Animal Collective to claim four of the top five positions.

Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was released in January and reached number 26 in the charts, received 13 nominations.

It was named album of the year by Mojo and Uncut magazines, as well as the Sunday Times.

The Domino-signed three-piece band, who are known for their innovative sampling of other artists’ work, narrowly beat the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whose third studio album It’s Blitz was widely acclaimed.

Indie rockers The XX, the highest rated UK act, were third.

The self-titled debut by the four-piece from London, which was released in August, reached number 36 in the charts.

Fourth place was claimed by Brooklyn-based experimental rock outfit Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear, another act from the New York borough, was fifth.

Mr Hirst said the Animal Collective album was “selling steadily” after being discovered by fans “through word-of-mouth”.

He added: “It’s also encouraging to see indie labels doing so well, which reflects on the vibrant state of our music right now.”

The Seldom Seen Kid, by last year’s Mercury Prize winners Elbow, topped the 2008 poll.

In recent years records from Arcade Fire, OutKast, Kanye West and Daft Punk have been named as the critics’ choice.Read More……

EPPS media workshop on NY Media at ICG Local 600 sponsored event

Twitter, Facebook and social networks have become mainstream for entertainment writers and editors, Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS) members learned recently(11-19-09) at a media workshop sponsored by the International Cinematographers (ICG) Union Local 600 in Hollywood.

West Coast Editor Michael Fleeman, People.com said, “Whether we like it or not, reporters are being dragged into new media, some kicking and screaming about it. You have to know how to do it, and you have to file under deadline.”

New York Times Reporter Edward Wyatt, Los Angeles said reporters are being asked to post their stories Online and twitter about it. “Sometimes I record audio interviews or TV interviews and post them on the site,” he said. Wyatt cautions PR Pros to not miss the forest for the trees.  “If you have a webisode that is attracting 50,000 eyes, and you want to tell me about it great, but it the television show associated with it attracts 16 million people a week, that’s the meat of the story.”

Edward Wyatt NY Times

Wyatt covers the television business in LA. He joined the Times in New York in 1995 as a finance and investing reports and has covered education, the redesign of the World Trade Center site, the 2004 Democratic primaries, publishing business, as well as professional cycling and the Tour de France. He moved to LA in 2006 to cover Television.

New York Times Reporter Wyatt also said he’s looking for national stories, because the Times just doesn’t report on Manhattan stories. “When I came to LA I found we had not done a story on Two-and-a-Half Men, which is the biggest comedy on television and watched all over the country,” he said. “A lot of people in Manhattan don’t watch it, but people in Iowa, Kansas and elsewhere do. So if you bring stories with a national pace, we’re interested.”

.

Los Angeles Reporter Andrew Hampp for Advertising Age echoed other complaints of panelists on publicists’ followup calls on a pitch.

Andrew Hampp, Ad Age Michael Fleeman People Mag.

“Please don’t pitch me after you received a big NO from another editor above me,” he said. “We are still a work in progress, and started our website three years ago. We have separate website andmagazine editors and then we share editing staff. It’s about 99 percent original content on the website. There’s not much overlap between the magazine and website. The site is shorter, faster and more newsie, breasier and a younger user,” he said. Hampp said the print version deadline for  Ad Age magazine is Thursday or early Friday, and the AdAge.com has a daily and weekly newsletter so there is much to choose from through the week. He says deadlines are many at AdAge.com

Hampp’s pet peeves of PR Pros is that second followup phone call he receives after the press release has been received. “

Staff Editor Natalie Abrams, TVGuide.com said, “I think my biggest pet peeve is just the coordination on events,” said TVGuide.com’s Natalie Abrams. “ I’ll get three separate emails a network publicist, a studio publicist, a show publicist or a personal publicist for the actor, and it is all on the same thing, making it hard to decide who to respond to, so coordination on that end would be good,” she said.

TVGuide.com’s Abrams also  said they don’t have full time twitter people, but each writer or editor use new media to drive more traffic to TVGuide.com’s websites.

Abrams also agreed with Wyatt about lying, “if you don’t want it out there that your client is going to be killed off of a show, or that your show has been cancelled, we can embargoed it, just be honest with us.”

Natalie Abrams TV Guide

Natalie Abrams, staff editor, TV Guide.com is the west coast Staff editor at TVGuide.com, a one-stop entertainment and video content destination serving more than 20 million unique users per month. From television spoilers to insider scoops, Abrams breaks the latest in entertainment news. Since joining in September, 2009, she landed exclusive interviews with some of the hottest celebs including the cast of Glee, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, 24 and 90210 among others.

Los Angeles Reporter Andrew Hampp for Advertising Age echoed other complaints of panelists on publicists’ followup calls on a pitch. “Please don’t pitch me after you received a big NO from another editor above me,” he said. “We are still a work in progress, and started our website three years ago. We have separate website andmagazine editors and then we share editing staff. It’s about 99 percent original content on the website. There’s not much overlap between the magazine and website. The site is shorter, faster and more newsie, breazier and a younger user,” he said. Hampp said the print version deadline for  Ad Age magazine is Thursday or early Friday, and the AdAge.com has a daily and weekly newsletter so there is much to choose from through the week. He says deadlines are many at AdAge.com.

New York Times Wyatt told EPPS workshop that  his two pet peeves from entertainment publicist who pitch him include: “getting asked ‘who have you been talking to, which is none of your business when I am trying to just do a story”  and when publicist lies to their client, “because what will happen is one day I’ll meet your client at a cocktail party and they will say ‘why didn’t you talk to us to promote this new show of mine?’ This actually happened. I said, “Because I asked your publicist, and he said, “you couldn’t talk for X and Y reasons, and I was there on the set, and you walk right past me three or four times. Just don’t do that (lie).”

All panelist prefer email pitches, and most prefer early mornings, except for Edward Wyatt of the NY Times, because he deals with editors, who are three hours of ahead in the morning.

Wyatt@nytimes.com – 323-617-9034

Natalie. Abrams@tvguide.com – 323-856-4093

Michael_fleeman@peoplemag.com 310-268-7200

Ahampp@adage.com –  no phone number provided

Be sure to sign up for other media trend stories and behind the scenes stories (free) in entertainment publicity at the following sites Online:

MAYO PR

FACEBOOK/EntertainmentPublicity

LINKED-IN Entertainment Publicists Group

For entertainment Publicity for movies, TV and music
visit: www.MayoCommunications.com or
www.LAEntertainmentPublicity.com.

We welcome your comments, questions, suggestions and discussions. Thx.

I really like the lyrics to this song. I mean, I get that I probably appear to like Dylan’s lyrics all the time, but I really like them in this song. They’re caustic and clever and cogent. Just the refrain itself is a beautiful piece of simple, forceful poetry: “Something is happening here/But you don’t know what it is/Do you, Mr. Jones?”

The song is pretty clearly directed at a music critic, which may seem petty or small-minded of Dylan, particularly since Dylan himself admitted that “Mr. Jones” is a real person who would have been known by name when the song was released (although you have to take anything Dylan said to the press at that time with, like, 87 grains of salt). But it’s not petty. Not at all. Because Mr. Jones isn’t just a music critic—he’s a tastemaker, a peddler, a card-carrying member of the establishment and the status quo.

What’s so great about “Ballad of a Thin Man” is that Mr. Jones doesn’t become just some caricature of the Old Guard to be ridiculed by Bob Dylan, hip new superstar. Mr. Jones is one of Dylan’s most fully realized figures. Like Miss Lonely and the female figure on Blood on the Tracks, we get a real sense of who Mr. Jones is. Indeed, it’s hard not to recognize a bit of Mr. Jones in yourself.*

*I, for one, sometimes cringe at the line, “You’re very well-read, it’s well-known.”

Mr. Jones may be best represented as a music critic, but what he really is at heart is an arbiter of good taste, sent to pass judgment on the value of something new. Dylan’s attack is not on criticism itself—it’s on the notion of sending somebody from one world to evaluate something from another.

Mr. Jones is alienated from the beginning. Everyone he meets in the song is a freak of some kind—a “geek” or a “sword swallower” or a “one-eyed midget.” Mr. Jones may be good at what he does, and he may “have been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s books,” but that is of no use to him here. Here, as somebody points out to an incredulous Mr. Jones, he is the freak. 

It’s not simply that Mr. Jones is out of place, but that he ventures out of his comfort zone for the sole purpose of passing judgment. Everything Mr. Jones does is for the purpose of gaining approval or doling it out. He wants to impress people with his looks and how well-read he is, and he wants everything in this new, unknown world explained to him for his benefit. This is what makes him so venal and, in the end, inhuman. As the one-eyed midget tells him, “You’re a cow: Give me some milk or else go home.”

Musically, “Ballad of a Thin Man” is eerie and menacing. It feels completely natural for Dylan to ditch the guitar completely for this song, showing how far he’s evolved from his folk roots. The first notes on the piano lay the groundwork for the whole song, setting up the condemnatory feel of the entire composition. Dylan’s vocals in this one also convey the perfect sentiment: He seems to be alternating between scolding and downright mocking of Mr. Jones.

This song is an example of Dylan at his best: Sharp, witty, audacious, crisp, melodious. It’s a song that is both simple and resonant, accessible and impenetrable, explicable and deep. There’s a lot going on here, and I only know some of what it is.

Alright, we have our favourite music blogs we listen to and it collects our selections and gathers other possible music we may like. Jango and Last.fm are two that are looking cool at the moment. Here is one I just came across moments ago, called The Hype Machine. It is slightly different from Jango and Last.fm. Those who listen to the music and then click the ‘add to favourite’ or ‘add to playlist’… Hype is where you search, listen, heart the artist’s tracks, and read the posters reviews on why they like the selected artist; then you can comment on their individual blog.

Hype quotes “The Hype Machine keeps track of what music bloggers write about. We handpick a set of kickass music blogs and then present what they discuss for easy analysis, consumption and discovery. This way, your odds of stumbling into awesome music or awesome blogs are high!”

They quote farther – “We are creating tools that empower independent voices that write about music. Rather than picking and writing about music ourselves, we think a select group of passionate people can do a better job, so we amplify their posts and the audio they choose. This group will produce more vibrant culture and conversation than a huge social mob, or a rigid hierarchy of editors. Oh yeah, music runs in our veins. You already figured that out though.”

I’ve been trying it out for the past hour, I’m finding a lot great bands… Vamps, although the only thing it found on them; was their latest song “Love Addict” for that I was happy. It found one song of Tokio Hotel, understandable about that Vamps and Tokio Hotel aren’t well known in America….yet!!!! Give it time my fellow music lovers! I did found several listings of Linkin Park tracks, so that is what my ears have been listening to until now. I didn’t find many indie bands, still understandable; they don’t many accomplishments yet, they need more fans writing and spreading the word of the band.

So you indie music critic out there and anyone who just wants to listen to great music, I recommend you giving The Hype Machine a try.

The Hype Machine tracks an array of MP3 blogs, so if you post a link that contains MP3 links, it’ll add those links to its database and displays them. Tracks can not be downloaded however, you can preview them; there’s a play button to each song.

If you enjoy the song, click the heart and it’ll be added into your data. If you like a specific song, you can visit the blog of the user that posted the song and view other songs they’ve posted…chances are you may like those as well.

You can purchase CDs and individual tracks by using the Amazon and iTunes” links that appear next to most tracks. Each purchase you make supports both the artists and the Hype Machine. Please buy and enjoy.

The First Annual Noble Awards Turns Up The Town with Lots of Warm Wishes from Celebs Spotlighted for being Noble – People like Actress Teri Hatcher

TERI HATCHER VIDEO INTERVIEW ON MSNBC

And..Actor Morgan Freeman, who stayed the entire night to meet and greet everyone. What a champ!

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.-

The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpzQsJkC3u0

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr.was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.

Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

November 7, 2009

Doo Wop Concert Featuring the Mighty Echos
The a cappella doo wop group The Mighty Echos will be performing in a Doo Wop concert celebrating LAVC’s 60th Anniversary. The concert is scheduled for Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Monarch Hall. Tickets are $20 per person. View Flyer

The Might Echoes Coming To Los Angeles For a LAVC Fundraising Concert.

Los AngelesValley College

60th Anniversary

“Doo-Wop”

Rock ‘n Roll Fall Fling 2009!

Featuring The Mighty Echoes

Los Angeles Valley College

5800 Fulton Ave. , Valley Glen, CA 91401

DATE: Saturday, November 7th, 2009

TIME: 7:30 pm, Doors open at 7:00 pm

LOCATION: Monarch Hall, Campus Center

Admission: $20/person for General Public.

$15/person for Senior Citizens & Students

You may purchase admission by phone at (818) 947-2619, or

click here to print out the admission form.

Click here to link to the LAVC Campus map.

Proceeds of the concert will benefit
the Los Angeles Valley College Foundation

For those tracking perspectives on the changes of the music industry since the advent of the digital form, now comes an article from Wired Magazine – Can Device Integration Save Music Journalism? - in response to questions raised at the Future of Music Coalition’s summit here in DC, suggesting device integration (such as iPhone apps) that would reinsert (if you customize to allow it) the reviews somewhere in your searching, downloading, or listening to music.

My question… do anyone but music elitists really put that much stock in the word of professional critics? For the general masses, “viral” seems to spread through more intimate social connection.

Chat Smith's Bombastic Meatbats Now Available at Best Buy.

Warrior Records Announced today drum enthusiasts and musicians are encouraged to enter in the drum solo contest. Click on Warrior Records Logo to see some of the entries so far…and for a little inspiration from Chat Smith, hear his awesome drum solos..

Warrior Records (click on logo)

Let people know about the contest by copying and pasting the banner code below onto your page!

Are you a drummer? Do you think you have what it takes??? Then enter the Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats Drum Solo Contest! Drummers from around the world are encouraged to submit videos of their best drum solos. 3 lucky winners will be chosen by the band: Drummer extraordinaire Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot), guitar star Jeff Kollman, multi-faceted keyboardist Ed Roth, and Motor City bass ace Kevin Chown.

First prize

The First Place Winner will receive a personal phone call from Chad and the The First Place Winner will receive a personal phone call from Chad and the Meatbats to talk about your winning solo and drumming techniques. You will also win a Pearl Chad Smith Signature 5-piece Shell Pack (MSRP $1,100), with the kick personally autographed by Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats, a Bombastic Meatbats T-Shirt and CD. Shell pack features 22″x18″ Bass, 12″x9″ Tom, 14″x14″ Floor Tom, 16″x16″ Floor Tom, and 14″x5″ Signature Snare. This is a limited-edition killer that gives up the funk!

Second Prize

The Second Place Winner will receive a Pearl Chad Smith Signature 14″x5″ Snare Drum (MSRP $469), which will be autographed by Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats and a Bombastic Meatbats T-Shirt and CD.

Third Prize

The Third Place Winner will receive a Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats autographed CD and T-Shirt.

For mobile contest winner notification and Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats updates:

Also join the Meatbats on:

How to Enter:

All drum solos are judged by online video entries that are posted only to . The entire length of your YouTube video must consist of only your drum solo (don’t ask us to scroll 3 minutes into your video to see your slammin’ solo). There may be no additional instruments playing in the video, only you drumming. Prepare your solos to be a minimum of one (1) minute in length / there is no maximum length (it’s all about how good it is, not how long). Make your solo hot, fresh, and show us your best techniques regardless of genre.

To enter your submission, enter all of the following information (all fields are required or your entry will not be added). Please ensure that your YouTube video is able to be embedded, otherwise your entry will not be accepted. Submissions will be accepted until midnight on 10/19/09. Winners will be announced on this page on 10/26/09:

//

By submitting your entry you agree to the contest’s // Terms and Conditions .

For a little inspiration, here are a couple solos from Chad:

On Saturday night, November 7th, 2009 Los Angeles Valley College Emergency Services Department in conjunction with the LAVC Foundation will be sponsoring a vintage Doo-Wop and Rock N’ Roll Fall Fling Concert to help celebrate the 60 years of Los Angeles Valley College.

An evening of nostalgia, starring the Mighty Echoes, America’s most accomplished a cappella vocal group.  This group has been preserving the Doo-Wop oldies of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will be earmarked for student scholarships and department programs.  The event will be held at:

Los Angeles Valley College Monarch Hall Auditorium

5800 Fulton Avenue, Valley Glen, CA

Starts at 7:30 PM

Cost:  $20 per person (Note: seniors and students $15 per person)

Reserve seats at the LAVC Foundation Office:  (818)9472619

Seating is limited so get your tickets early at the LAVCFoundation Office, located in the Administration Building.  Ladies are encouraged to wear that era’s “Poodle Skirts”!  Added to the evening will be a fun filled raffle.

So this is your opportunity to travel back to a time of yesteryear in an evening of memories and mirth; to a time and place where things were easier and slower.  Relax in the nostalgia of those thrilling days; the nifty 50’s and groovy 60’s.

For more contact Dr. Alan Cowen, Professor and Chair
Emergency Services Department at: (818) 947-2553 or

Michelle R. Fowles
Dean, Institutional Research & Planning
5800 Fulton Avenue
Valley Glen, CA  91401
(818) 947-2437 Phone

	Walk-In Registration Ends Today! Walk-in registration for the Fall 2009 Semester will continue in the Campus Center Building until Saturday, September 12. For details
	LACCD Offers Students Paid Internship Opportunities Are you looking for a paid internship? The LACCD Interns program offers students the opportunity for a paid internship in professional offices, with flexible hours to accommodate your class schedule. For details
	Want to be Notified in Case of a Campus Emergency? Sign Up for AlertU LAVC has adopted a new alert notification system called AlertU to communicate critical information during campus emergencies. For details
	Check It Out, LAVC has a Facebook Page! Facebook members can become a fan of the LAVC page by going towww.facebook.com/lavalleycollege. The page features information about the campus, campus pictures and upcoming events. For details

Entertainment publicists and Hollywood have lost a legend.

Army Acher (Variety image)

87-year old Army Archerd, who worked at Daily Variety for more than five decades as one of the most respected columnist died Tuesday (9-08-09) in Los Angeles. He died of a rare form of mesothelioma cancer according to the publication he worked for 52 years. The cancer reportedly was due to his exposure to asbestos in during WWII in the Navy.

Patsy and Julian Myers (VOA photo)

In 2005, the Variety Columnist hosted an Entertainment Pubicists Professional Society (EPPS) “Legends of PR on Nov. 9, 2005 Archer moderated a panel of publicity legends including Jay Bernstein, Julian Myers, Jerry Pam, Chuck Panama, Walter Seltzer, Lee Solters and Arthur Wilde on changes in Hollywood. Army Archerd was the ideal person to moderate the panel said the EPPS president.

Showbiz Reporter Archerd was one of the first writers to report on AIDS linked to Rock Hudson, even though the actor’s publicists and managers denied it, while Hudson was undergoing treatment for AIDS. Archer was also a star interviewer on the Academy Awards red carpet.

Julian and Patsy Myers

“He set high standards in Hollywood,” said 90-year old Publicist Julian Myers, LA. “Archer used to come by every Friday at Fox Studios and come away with a unique story every time.”Myers and his wife Patsy were good friends of the family, too. “I saw him a couple of months ago at the Disney Center and that night he called me to tell me his wife had a stroke, but he appeared to be in good health,” observed Myers.
Archer started covering entertainment in 1945, and began the “Just for Variety” column in 1953. His last column ran on Sept. 1, 2005, and he continued contributing to the paper and writing a blog for Variety.com until July 27 according to published reports. He appeared as himself in more than 100 movies/TV shows.
“He was in his 20’s when he worked for the LA Express, which was even before the LA Examiner newspaper,” said Myers. “He was a real gentleman, a many of integrity, quality and a great friend, who attended my 90^th birthday, despite the LA Marathon traffic he had to fight. Archerd will be missed, and was really a legend in his own field in Hollywood.”
According to Variety, Archerd was, “also a strong proponent of Jewish causes. When Michael Jackson’s ‘History’ album came out in 1995, Archerd criticized Jackson for a song in which he used the words “Jew me/Sue me” and “Kike me.” A few days later, Jackson called the columnist to reveal that he would re-record the song according to Variety. Archer was also popular on radio and TV shows on KNX, KABC, KDAY and KNX-TV. Archerd was the first journalist ever to be honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Archerd is survived by his wife, actress Selma Archerd, a son, Evan, two stepsons Richard Rosenblum and James Rosenblum and five grandchildren. A daughter, Amanda, died in 2008.

MAYO PR – “We don’t guarantee media, we just get it!” Sphere: Related Content

Before attempting to read this, I would like music critics to take note: I’m having a hard time with you.

Not all of you, by any means—there are still a good number out there who emulate a true love of music in their reviews. But recently, I feel there has been more train-jumping, more jadedness, and more high-falutin’ smugness than actual music-listening. Granted, if you are a music critic by profession, there is a ton of music you have to listen to in a short amount of time, and sometimes it’s hard to take it all in. I understand this.

However, this has been my experience—the records that really stick with me for long amounts of time are the ones I have to give several spins before they really start to hit me. Inversely, the albums that wow me right off the bat usually lose their punch over time, and eventually become novelties. So critics, do you know what this means? It’s not that complicated of a revelation, but it’s the truth—you need to TRY HARDER. Listen to an album a few times before you review it, or you may end up regretting those words you wrote at some point.

“It takes courage to enjoy it.” –Bjork

Children—Hard Times Hanging at the End of the World

Kemado Records

I have been wondering for some time when I was really going to love a new metal band again, and here they are. NYC’s Children don’t necessarily stray too far from the metal formula of constant hot guitar licks, precise and invigorating drumming, and head-spinning, non-cyclical songwriting; they just happen to do all of this shit better than 99% of metal bands out there. The really frustrating thing is, after seeing all this boring, same-old-same-old, cliché-ridden black metal hyped to unreachable heights by nearly every music critic imaginable, no one seems to care about Children. Aside from a Myspace page and the very little amount of info one can find on the web, they are hanging in obscurity. But, just as the gods of rock have said before, the kids are alright. In this case, they are flat-out stellar.

It Hugs Back—Inside Your Guitar

4AD Records

This album has the odd quality of seeming like something I played over and over again back in high school. However, rather than the album sounding familiar, it simply feels familiar. It seems the furthest thing from It Hugs Back’s agenda is to be innovative or groundbreaking, but they have definitely put their own stamp on their brand of mope-rock—a subtle, whispery stamp, but a stamp nonetheless. At first listen, I thought of the majority of the songs as boring and, to be frank, lacking testicles. But after repeated listens, most of them have worked their way into my heart. Tiny Mix Tapes referred to It Hugs Back as a “faceless and generic indie band you [would] hear at Starbucks”. Seeing as I had similar feelings initially, I can only assume the writer listened to the album only once, then reviewed it. This is what is wrong with music journalism.

Dinosaur Jr.—Farm

Jagjaguwar Records

I can say more about Dinosaur Jr. than most of the plethora of 80’s/90’s rock bands that have since reformed in the Naughts. While 2007’s “Beyond” was fun yet not entirely fulfilling, “Farm” ups the ante substantially. At just over an hour long, and requisitely chock full of sweet-ass guitar solos, it’s a bona-fide beast. It’s not perfect, but who was expecting that anyway? Don’t be disappointed or start talking shit when the two or three dull tunes on the record pop up on your I-pod shuffle. Pod-heads probably don’t do this very often, but I would recommend listening to this one all the way through. It may seem like a task at first, but pretty soon, all those licks are going to be swimming around in your body like heroin, and you’ll need to hear it again and again. I will also add this: music critics, please stop referring to Lou Barlow as if you are surprised he wrote a couple awesome songs for this record. Remember Sebadoh?

Oh, Bangs on a bike!

I know I shouldn’t be giving these people publicity but I can’t help it. Someone needs to speak up for brevity and incision (and I ain’t talking wankers using Twitter as some sort of post-structuralist joke). WHY DOES IT ALWAYS TAKE A professional CRITIC 1,000 words TO SAY WHAT COULD BE SAID IN 1o0?

My least favourite kind of filmmaker is the one which makes films about people making films. My least favourite sort of author is the one who writes books about authors. My least favourite sort of music critic is the one who sits in judgement upon music critics – ALWAYS from a position of moral superiority and insufferable (usually American) smugness. I know I do this myself. But fuck ME! I DO NOT SPEND 5,000 WORDS GETTING TO THE POINT.

The Internet isn’t killing off taste-maker music critics. Articles like this (from website Stereo Subversion) are boring them to death. I’ll quote you. Ready?

To the musician, critics are a double edged sword. On one hand, it’s tough enough trying to make a go at playing in a rock band these days and certainly the last thing you need is some brat who can’t even tune an instrument or some bitter ex-metal drummer telling your potential audience that your band sucks beyond belief. Likewise, even the bands that are so called “critical darlings” will tell you that such praise is a long, long ways off from success. On the other hand, good critical reviews are an important part in the skyrocketing of many careers, even if the success of, say, Led Zeppelin and the nu-metal genre proved that critical love is hardly essential. Still, why did Husker Du get signed to a major label? Because Zen Arcade was a huge critical sensation that got the group noticed. Why were the Strokes such a big deal even back before they had a record out? Because a plethora of certifiable critics were hailing them as the best rock band since the ’70s, one that was going to save us from the dragon of nu-metal. The hard work of the group should never be slighted, but very many musicians wouldn’t get their time in the sun if it wasn’t for the critical community spilling ink and using blog space to praise them as newly forged musical messiahs.

In addition, records that have critical darling status tend to have more legs. For instance, Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyville and Velvet Crush’s Teenage Symphonies To God both came out in 1993. Which one got reissued last year for their 15th anniversary? Which one made the Pitchfork Top 100 Albums of the ’90s list? Is there a correlation? Both were certainly college radio status albums back in their day and I’m sure some would hold Velvet Crush up as the superior record, but one you don’t hear about so much anymore. Thus, one album remains out of print and available for $3 in the bargain bin, whilst the other goes $13.99 for a fancy new edition with bonus tracks. Might prestige have something to do with it?

To this end, the music industry finds critics a useful, if not always necessary tool. If they didn’t, I don’t think they’d be giving away promo copies of all their albums for free. Aside from the best possible ends that can be reached (i.e. the breaking of a new group, turning an unknown into a profitable commodity), published criticism is a solid branch of publicity, one all the more valuable in the realm of popular music. Genres like rock and rap that have a rebellious edge are going to lose face when band profiles are written by corporate shills. An independent go-between and a critical eye, even if the verdict is lukewarm at best, go a lot further than the standard “[insert band name] is a thrilling new artist” tripe.

Please tell me this isn’t the future of music criticism 2.0. Please.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted an illustration to the blog, but this one — Coldplay frontman Chris Martin grinning through the whacks he’s taken by music critics — seemed decent enough to trot out.

I was a Coldplay fan when they released their debut, Parachutes (which is still a good album) — back when I was really, really into bands from the UK. Just when I was interested in listening to quieter, more contemplative music after an alt-rock hangover, Coldplay was there to provide the soundtrack. And then, they got popular. Really popular. I was totally excited to hear sophomore outing A Rush of Blood to the Head, and it struck a nice balance between their humble acoustic roots and their “rock band” ambitions. They lost me around X&Y, though — too much “biggest band in the world” posturing and not enough substance, or even memorable songs.

I was torn on their last release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (read my June 2008 review after the jump) but I didn’t outright hate on it like the “asshole” music critics targeted by Current freelancer Abbie Kopf in this week’s issue. (At least, I don’t think so.) Anyway, it’s a great breakdown on the breakdown between the critical community and a band that just wants everyone to sing along. Check it out.

Album Review: Coldplay — Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends

“Do you know how I know you’re gay? You like Coldplay.”

That line, uttered by Paul Rudd to Seth Rogen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, crystallized what many hipsters had whispered since a wide-eyed Chris Martinrhymed “yellow” with “yellow” in 2000: Coldplay sucks. Despite selling 30million records worldwide, much of the public writes them off as undeserving of their massive success.

Coldplay must feel the same way. If they didn’t, they’d be content to re-write “Clocks” ad nauseam instead of releasing the experimental (for them) Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. This is Coldplay’s do-or-die last stab at respectability, and despite some genuinely winning moments, it just doesn’t cut deep enough.

While Viva is a positive step toward attaining the artist cred they desperately crave, much of that credibility belonged to someone else first. Coldplay nicks the pseudo-military uniforms of Arcade Fire, the spacey soundscapes of Sigur Rós, and takes their U2-worship to the next logical step by hiring The Joshua Tree’s Brian Eno as producer.

Eno uses his powers for good, pushing the band to explore new sonic territory while they tread familiar emotional ground. And a lot of it works: “Cemeteries of London” grooves on a ghostly flamenco pattern; “Lost!” pumps up the volume with stomps and handclaps, and “Lovers in Japan” is a shimmery sequel to Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill.”

The more adventurous tracks — such as the three-movement “42” (or, “Not So Paranoid Android”), “Strawberry Swing,” and “Yes” — are interesting efforts but never seem to take off. Martin doesn’t help by adding lyrics simple enough to be sung by stadium crowds but lacking in actual depth — and his more profound missives (“Those who are dead are not dead /they’re just living in my head”) could have come from a fortune cookie.

Martin was always at his best playing the hopeless romantic. He still swoons on the two title tracks (the gorgeous “Viva la Vida” in particular), but fights that role for much of Viva. However, singing about “heavier” subject matter in a lower register doesn’t do much to fight the stereotypes that have dogged Coldplay from day one. Even dressed in a soldier’s jacket, Martin just can’t hide the heart on his sleeve — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Gentle reader. You are part of a very select bunch. Very select. Perhaps too select.

I feel a need to spread the word. An urge to spread the word. A pressing, downright depraved, desire to spread the word. And this is where you can help me, gentle reader. I cannot do this alone. Please. I know that from the very fact you’re here – part of a very select bunch, remember? – you must be a dedicated blog reader. If you enjoy this (or my other) blog, please spread the word. Everett True cannot exist in a vacuum. The music critic is defined by her audience. If there is no audience to define her then – like the Gods of old – she will wither and die.

If you believe that Gods should still exist, please send links out, post messages on forums, pingback to other blogs, Twitter incessantly…if only for a day or so. Contact big alternate indie sites! Contact itsy-wisty teenie-weenie indie sites! Irritate the hell out of Pitchfork!

And you will also be helping my PhD research, to see how easy (or otherwise) it is to spread word-of-mouth from scratch in web 2.0 environments.

Bless you, gentle reader.

Nigel Shouts at Kevin

As a professional musician, it falls to me to put my creations on public display, and/or sale from time to time. It is a double edged sword. On the one hand, I am saying “Look, listen, I think this song is good enough for you to want to listen to it.”  But by making that assumption and sticking my head above the safety of the parapet, I am also inviting opinions to the contrary, ridicule, and yes -  even vitriol. My latest project, The “Derby Pride” song, has attracted all of these things, and, although in the main comments have been positive, I have received one or two downright damning ones, and those from Derby County fans. The ones from Nottingham Forest fans (our bitter rivals) I expect, and even enjoy! But our own fans? That hurt. But once in a while, someone, somewhere, “gets it.” -  And when they do it makes all the hard work worthwhile, and once again, you can convince yourself that you are right, and everyone else is wrong! I found this posted on the Derby boards yesterday:

“As an EX recording engineer and producer (and a crappy musician with rhythm), having worked in a top recording studio with international artists, producers and musicians, the criterion of a good song is its sincerity, both in performance and lyrics.

Kev Moore has written this song inspired by the love he has for the RAMS. The result of which has affected many of us. I posted the YouTube link to supporters and fans and all of them liked it, why, because it sticks you right in the emotional gut.

Now granted, the song isn’t hard rock, a dance floor filler or even pop (which WOULD eat its self) but its not meant to be.

It is what it is … genuine … home-grown … positive … hopeful … made with love … been given to us … whether transient or permanent … a tattoo of the voice and soul.

Whether it replaces Bloomer or not is neither here nor there.

Kev Moore – Thanks ok“

….and for those of you who dig the vibe rather than the vitriol, the songs are available to buy as a digital download from here:

KEV MOORE MYSPACE

Original cover design &  photo montage by MIKI

Robert Christgau and Lester Bangs are two of the most widely recognised and influential music critics. Although the two writers have their own personal criteria and approaches to musical evaluation, both have admitted influence and appreciation of the other’s work.

Christgau was brought up in a lower to middle class environment in Queens, New York, and this environment seems to have shaped some of his stylistic approaches. His opinionated, subjective style is “directed against the snobs of elite culture” (Lindberg et al, 2005, p154), and you can’t help feeling that this has something to do with his less than privileged upbringing.

Lester Bangs was born in Southern California, again to perhaps less than normal surroundings, being brought up by his single, Jehovah’s Witness, mother. The most legendary rock critic to date, Lester Bangs, not only had a biography published but had a huge influence on the film Almost Famous (2000). This is a fictional story in which a young boy “escapes into music and soon becomes an authority, writing for his school magazine before encountering the iconoclastic rock journalist Lester Bangs.” (tiscali.co.uk)  

Chrisagau sees himself as a trained listener (Lindberg et al, 2005,) and got into writing after receiving a university degree. Perhaps for this reason, Chrisatgau is particularly self-reflective in much of his writing. He uses not an intellectual style of writing, nor is he able to write in Bangs’ creative, almost fictional style, but he tries to combine the two.  

This style of writing is seen in his review of Cyndi Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual” (Portrait, 1983). He starts in the original intellectual approach introduced by fellow critic Jon Landau. “This blue angel won my heart by covering the two most profound pop songs of the past five years”. This not only states his appreciation in an intellectual way, but the term “blue angel” goes with the idea of a select group of artists being ahead of the rest in what other critics and reviewers call the “canon.” For some, this hierarchy of artists is how music should be defined, and Landau was a strong believer in this.

However, the last sentence completely differs from the first, and takes the approach of Bangs’ crazy alter ego style of writing. After describing the first side as an “eternal classic” he writes the “Second sneaks by on the one where she kisses me and the one where she diddles herself.” As he usually does he is being self reflective, but is doing so in a way in a comical fashion, much like Bangs often writes of himself as if he is an adolescent teenager.

Bangs is also self-reflective and subjective in his writing, but grew into the reviewer he ended up being legendary for. He started in “1996 as a committed kid, either loving or loathing the records he reviewed,” (Lindberg et al, 2005, p176) with his off the wall writing style developing with time. When he started writing the “canons” and hierarchies were already in place, and although he could accept the aesthetic standards of Landau Bangs had less respect for rock icons. This is shown in his Rolling Stone review of ZZ Top’s “Deguello” (1980), in which he starts off, “So they’re more popular than the Rolling Stones? So were Crosby, Stills and Nash.” For Bangs it was not enough to be a name, he found authenticity much more important.

Although not of Christgau’s academic pedigree, Bangs was comfortable commenting on the handling of instruments. In his review of Reprise’s “The Spoltight Kid” (Rolling Stone, 1972) he often mentions the guitar riffs, and in one paragraph for example he explains that, “With each chorus, the guitar builds from its initial simple advance to wirier, more complex backups”.

Bangs wrote what he thought. He was very subjective, but this did not always work in his favour. In 1973, Jann Wenner fired Bangs from Rolling Stone over a negative review of Canned Heat, as Wenner contending that Bangs was “disrespectful to musicians”. As well as showing Bangs’ often less than respectful approach to bands and singers, it also shows another of his traits. Bangs had disrespect for authorities, but this added to the individual and authentic style he thrived for.  In fact Robert Christgau’s chosen indicator of his ability as an editor was the fact that he was “the only editor ever to wield any influence on Lester Bangs’ writing style” (Lindberg et al, 2005, p151).

Bangs is not the only rock critic to be fired, in fact Robert Christgau had to leave Village Voice. Christgau was fired from the Village Voice in 2006 “for taste”, shortly after the paper’s acquisition by New Times Media.’ (www.absoluteastronomy.com) Music critic Robert Hilburn describes Christgau’s writing as “outrageous” yet “amusing” (Christgau, 1990) and perhaps The New Times Media felt his style was too provocative for modern rock reviews. An example of this blatant style is in his 1987 review of Spoonie Gee’s “The Godfather Of Rap” for magazine Tuff City. “His ryms’ll sneak up on you, though, and his groove is so old it’s new. Surprising a Mike Tyson fan is such a counterpuncher; Lee Dorsey as JB, he doesn’t float like a butterfly- more like a waterbug on a shore current.” Now while some readers will be amused by this metaphoric writing, others may take offence to his almost sarcastic, slating tone.

With regards to political implications Robert Christgau is well aware, as seen in his review of “Scatterlings” (Warner Bros., 1983), by South African band Juluka, as he talks of the “musical and political strengths and weaknesses” of the apartheid-fighting artists. He does not however let his own political orientation dominate his judgement and in the same review he balances his writing by describing the music as “often corny”, but at the same time appreciates that “being a folkie in South Africa takes a lot more guts than it does in liberal societies”.

This balance is not only used in a political sense, but the reviewing of the actual music often gives two sides of the story. About Motorhead’s “No Sleep ‘Till Hammersmith” (Mercury, 1981) he states that “Vic Maile’s power-packed definition obliterates my bias against live recording.” This shows that although Chrisgau is subjective in his writing, he will give credit to works that stray from his preferences. At the end of this review he adds, “So what if it gives me a headache? Sometimes a headache comes as a relief.” Again this shows his willingness to accept what is not essentially his musical preference.

Although Bangs usually kept his political opinions to himself, he did at times write against racism. Perhaps the most obvious article which shows this side of Bangs is his piece The White Noise Supremacist for the Village Voice in 1979. “When I was first asked to write this article, I said sure, because the racism (not to mention the sexism, which is even more pervasive and a whole other piece) on the American New Wave scene had been something that I’d been bothered by for a long time.” Again this may come back to Bangs’ childhood, living with a religious mother, but it certainly shows a sensitive side to his writing.

As Bangs’ career moved on he found more liberty in his work for. Creem magazine encouraged the New Journalism style of writing he is now so famous for really started to develop. This style resembled Hunter S. Thompson’s Gonzo style of writing. “In his book the Hell’s Angels, Thompson deplores a rambling rolling style of writing that sucks in the audience and makes the reader feel as if he or she is actually experiencing the action” (http://www.essortment.com).

The reader feels that the writer is actually experiencing what he or she is writing, and often the character is fiction or an alter-ego.

As Bangs was able to write longer, more reflective pieced at Creem, he really developed the style in which he was the centre of the narrative, and would write as if drunk, high, sick or simply a messed-up teenager. Although his writing was part fictional, Bangs’ chemical and drink dependency would eventually lead to his death via overdose in April 14, 1982.

Perhaps a mentally troubled man, it is possible that like Thompson Bangs used his style of journalism to show his concern for the way society was run. Writing for Creem in December, 1970 he describes the way in which The Stooges were able to “cure the sickness” (Lindberg, 2005, p179). He explains how they, “carry a strong element of sickness in their music, a crazed quaking uncertainty, an errant foolishness that effectively mirrors the absurdity and desperation of the times, but I also believe that they carry a strong element of the cure, a post-derangement sanity.” In a round about way, whether in fictional character or not Bangs is showing here how the music allows him to escape from what is going on elsewhere in society or in his life.

Bangs’ use of language also adds to the style he adopts. Often using slang words and abbreviations, he writes as if he is the person he is portraying in his writing. From a Rolling Stone article on ZZ Top, he writes, “And while I feel for these poor bastards, what can you think about a band that still uses cars to get laid.” Now this is the way one would expect an opinionated teenager to write, not an accomplished rock critic, but at the same time is offers humour and description of great imagination.

Although Bangs was most comfortable writing about Rock music, he often wrote about or reviewed bands and music of different genres, as Nick Kent mentions in his article Pills and Thrills, explaining. “His tastes ranged from soundtracks to jazz.”  (The Guardian, 2002)

Christgau on the other hand, being a white male, does take into account shortcomings which burden him.  This is shown in his review of Ice-T’s “Ryme Pays”, (Sire, 1987) stating he “Can’t know whether his streetwise jabs at Reagan and recidivism will make a permanent impression on his core audience.” Here he is letting the reader know that he is not an expert on this field of music, and cannot comment on how fans will interpret the message.

There is no doubt that both Robert Christgau and Lester Bangs have had huge influences on Rock music reviewing. While both have unique personalities and styles of writing, there are occasions when similarities are seen, and in fact both admit to have been influenced by one another. Not only have they both created works which will remain in Rock reviewing history, but they both continue, even after death in Bangs’ case, to influence and inspire many music reviewers and music lovers alike.

References

Books

Lindberg, U. Gudmundsson,G. Michelsen, M. Weisethaunet, H. (2005) Rock Criticism From The Beginning, Peter Lang Publishing

Shuker, R. (2001) Understanding Popular Music, 2^nd Edition, Routledge

Christgau, R. (1990) Christgau’s Record Guide The ‘80s, Da Capo Inc, Press

Magazines

Mercurty

Warner Bros.

Tuff City

Portrait

Sire

Websites

www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Robert_Christgau

http://www.essortment.com/all/whatisgonzoj_rqjo.htm

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/reviews/almost_famous.html

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/zztop/albums/album/157570/review/5942408/deguello

http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/reviews/spotrev5.htm

www.absoluteastronomy.com

http://www.essortment.com/all/whatisgonzoj_rqjo.htm

Newspapers

The Guardian

Spiddlement discovered Sound Opinions podcast the other day by accident, and we’re addicted.

It looks like this show has been around for a while on Chicago Public Radio, but it’s news to us. Not only do we love the show,  we also love the way it is so easy to download the MP3 files directly and listen as a podcast. [Are you paying attention here, NPR?]

“Take two nationally respected rock critics, the latest music news, personal commentary, and exclusive interviews and performances, add a huge pile of records old and new, and the result is Sound Opinions, the world’s only rock and roll talk show.

Based in Chicago, Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, two of the finest and best-recognized pop music writers in the nation. In addition, they are the top music critics and dedicated competitors at Chicago’s two daily newspapers, the Chicago Sun-Times (Jim) and the Chicago Tribune (Greg).”

In just the past few days, we’ve listened to an interview with Laurie Anderson, an exclusive live performance by The Fiery Furnaces, a dissection of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison album, and a detailed review of Prince’s Planet Earth — just to name a few goodies — and we’re just getting started with their extensive show archives online.

If you like rock and pop music, you truly can’t go wrong with this podcast.

Rating: Five Stars (out of five possible)

Link

We review podcasts … email us a link to your show or leave it in the comments section here.

Do yourself a favor and watch the whole thing, honestly, it’s worth it.

This is the first of many installments of my favorite music critics:

It completely speaks for itself.

~Kiki

Do you play the ukulele? Are you voting for the Democratic ticket? Legendary British rock journalist Sylvie Simmons is looking for you to join her Million Uke March.

Simmons has been writing about rock ‘n’ roll since the mid-1970s. You may have seen her work in Mojo, Q, Sounds, Kerrang!, Creem, The Guardian, The Times, The Radio Times, The Independent, Rolling Stone, Harp, Blender, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Simmons also wrote the critically-acclaimed biographies Neil Young: Reflections in Broken Glass and Serge Gainsbourg: A Fistful of Gitanes as well as a collection of short stories, Too Weird For Ziggy.

A talented and diverse actress brimming with wild sexuality, Gina Gershon (“Bound,” “Showgirls”) could easily step into the role of a famous rock star. So when that opportunity came about in the acclaimed new film, “Prey for Rock and Roll,” Gershon realized that the best way to promote her movie would be to actually get up on stage in front of an audience, armed only with a microphone, a guitar, and a backing band.

Like a madcap cross between “Making the Band” and “Project Greenlight,” IFC’s hip, new series offers a riveting glimpse into a world most of us only dream about, as Gershon and indie rockers Girls Against Boys go on an erratic, multi-city tour across the U.S. With only two weeks to rehearse, and music critics waiting to tear apart the latest actor-turned-musician, will the band succeed or get laughed out of their venues?

From breast-baring fans to concert bomb threats, pre-show tequila shots and leather parades, IFC offers a backstage pass to all the madness in these six exciting episodes, featuring appearances by friends Lenny Kravitz and actress Drea de Matteo (“The Sopranos”). Prepare to get ROCKED WITH GINA GERSHON!

Rocked With Gina Gershon is available at Amazon for $29.95. To Order click here
Amazon Product Pages contain a lot of other details on this product as Customer Reviews, Sales Ranking, Special Offers, Alternate products that customers are going for and much more.Want to read these details? click here

Want to get some other Format / Binding / Version? You can search for them from here

Other Products of Interest

• Prey for Rock & Roll
• Borderline
• Black and White
• Prey for Rock & Roll
• Picture Claire