–Universal/Republic Records will release new music from The Who. The historic signing with Universal/Republic will include the first studio album by the band in 25 years, Endless Wire, scheduled to hit stores October 31, 2006.

-Alternative rockers God or Julie will be showcasing September 13th at Arlenes Grocery (NYC). Expect a big label turn out. Check out the video. For more information email michael@childlikemanagement.com or 917-709-7170. Check out Say Your Last Goodbye.
 

-Dell computers caught on real quick and got out of the music biz. Dell began producing their own portable digital music device that was to compete with Apples’ Ipod. They couldn’t compete and will focus on its core areas of PCs, printers and flat-panel televisions.

–“I cannot believe the future of music is giving it away”
Those are the words of Graham Henderson, the president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, as quoted in a The Chronicle Herald article by Patricia Launt.

-Tower Records files for Bankruptcy for Second Time.

-Rapper Trina was dropped from Atlantic Records for lackluster sales.

-Rapper Lil Kim is close to finalizing a deal with Interscope Records.

 

Legendary singer Tony Bennett has slammed his home country of America for not contributing anything other than jazz music to world art and culture. The if I ruled world crooner feels that Europe and Asia offer far more culturally than America does.

Bennett says, “I have travelled around the world to Asia and Europe. They show you what they have contributed to the world. The British show you theatre, the Italians show you music and art, the French show you cooking and painting, and the Germans show you science. “The only thing that the United States, which is still a young country, has contributed culturally to the world is jazz – elongated improvisation. It’s tragic.”

And Bennett feels that Americans don’t even appreciate the impact of jazz in popular culture. He says, “Fifty years from now people will be bowing to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, just like impressionist painters like Monet, who were starving in their day. The Americans don’t even know what they have come up with.”

No doubt that the indicators are here. A cultural shift needs to happen and hopefully is happening that will bring forth great music and art.

Full Article Here

Bob Dylan says modern recordings sound “atrocious,” and even the songs on his new album sounded much better in the studio than on disc.

Dylan, who returns with his first recording in five years, “Modern Times,” next Tuesday had this to say:

I don’t know anybody who’s made a record that sounds decent in the past twenty years, really,” the 65-year-old rocker said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

Noting the music industry’s complaints that illegal downloading means people are getting their music for free, he said, “Well, why not? It ain’t worth nothing anyway.”

“You listen to these modern records, they’re atrocious, they have sound all over them,” he added. “There’s no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like … static.”

Reuters

-BMI Presents Alec Smith who has worked with Raine Maida (Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson), Marc Swersky (Hilary Duff, Joe Cocker, Natalie Cole) among others. Check out the show tonight at Rockwood Music Hall (NYC). For more information contact Karl Rybacki at 646-415-8379 or krybacki@nyc.rr.com.

-Los Angeles based pop/rock band Say No More  have signed to Drive Thru Records; legal rep is Ben McLane, Esq .

-Emo indie band Farewell will be  showcasing  September 1st at The Brewery at 10:00 p.m. Reps from American, Epic, and some indies’ will be attending. For more information contact Lawyer Dan Friedman.

-Next time you read a review for Christine Aguilera you will notice that its all about the voice. You know why it’s all about the voice? because the songs suck. Good voice, songs suck…  Not to cut the  her out completely, but check out a local choir and I assure you will find an 15 year old girl with a soaring voice, its not that hard. The main ingredient for Christine’s success is “Fashion”.

-Rumors are circulating that The Darkness has been dropped by Atlantic (Coolfer via: The Velvet Rope)