YouTube goes indie, launches channel for indie musicians
YouTube has announced a new initiative to promote indie music. Titled Musicians Wanted, the program gives selected bands the opportunity to make money through embedded videos on blogs, with advertising revenues based on pageviews. As YouTube music manager Michele Flannery said, "Whether you make hip-hop, folk, noise-rock, jazz or a genre of your own invention, we are looking for all types of original music video content."
YouTube employees will decide which bands get into the YouTube Partners Program. The artists will then have control over posting tourdates, adding "buy" links for their music, and the design of their pages. YouTube's ultimate goal? To have a "browsable, searchable section dedicated to independent music."
The channel was announced at a little festival in Austin, Texas known as South by Southwest. One of the first bands to apply was the distinctly un-indie OK Go, who left EMI/Capitol earlier this month partly because the label wouldn't allow the band's videos to be embedded on blogs.
This is certainly one initiative that should be administered by indie powerhouse Tiny Mix Tapes. Your correspondent can't think of anything more blood-curdling than YouTube executives deciding what's "indie." *shudder*
So much hair! Imaad Wasif goes on tour with Dead Meadow
Eternal sideman Imaad Wasif (see: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deerhunter, Raconteurs, etc.) and eternal psych-rock bandits Dead Meadow are hitting the road together later this month. Eternal tour? Not so much, more like a month-long tour. Wasif will be supporting last year's The Voidist, while Dead Meadow will be supporting their new live record, Three Kings, due next Tuesday.
Surely one can expect the following from this tour: a hair-growing contest (advantage: Wasif), a beard-growing contest (advantage: Dead Meadow), and a psych-guitar solo contest (it's anyone's game there). Surely.
03.26.10 - Brookdale, CA - Historic Brookdale Lodge *
03.27.10 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
03.31.10 - Eugene, OR - WOW HALL *
04.01.10 - Portland, OR - The Doug Fir *
04.02.10 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret *
04.03.10 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven *
04.05.10 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *
04.07.10 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge *
04.08.10 - Lawrence, KS - Riot Room *
04.09.10 - Omaha, NB - Slowdown *
04.10.10 - Sioux Falls, SD - Nutty's North *
04.12.10 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock *
04.13.10 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle *
04.14.10 - Madison, WI - Annex *
04.15.10 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick *
04.16.10 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop *
04.17.10 - Athens, OH -The Union *
04.19.10 - Columbus, OH - The Basement *
04.21.10 - Buffalo, NY - The Mohawk *
04.22.10 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace *
04.23.10 - Montreal, QB - Club Lambi *
04.25.10 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
• Imaad Wasif: http://www.imaadwasif.com
• Tee Pee Records: http://www.teepeerecords.com
[Photo: David Belisle]
Minus the Bear announce sitcom, album, tour; minus sitcom
...Fourth album's a charm, right? Omni, Minus the Bear's newest full-length, is slated for release May 4 from Dangerbird Records, their first LP since 2007's Planet of Ice. Over the years, their albums have ranged from decent indie stock (Highly Refined Pirates, TMT Review) to merely bearable (TMT Review), diligently chugging through the age of animal band names whose mammalian titles aren't worth commenting on anymore. Albums aside (whatever you may feel about them), legend has it they put on a damn good show, and so Minus the Bear have announced spring tourdates to promote Omni all over.
Plus! "My Time," the first single from Omni, is available for free download here.
03.19.10 - Austin, TX - Relix Magazine Party (Antones)
03.20.10 - Austin, TX - Stubbs (9 pm)
03.20.10 - Dangerbird Records at Mellow Johnny's (11:20 pm)
04.19.10 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory Concert House
04.20.10 - Billings, MT - The Railyard
04.22.10 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
04.23.10 - Bonner Springs, KS - Sandstone Amphitheatre
04.25.10 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
04.26.10 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
04.28.10 - Covington, KY - Madison Theater
04.29.10 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
04.30.10 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theatre
05.02.10 - East Rutherford, NJ - Bamboozle Festival
05.05.10 - Boston, MA - Wilbur Theatre
05.06.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
05.07.10 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
05.08.10 - Richmond, VA - The National
05.09.10 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore
05.10.10 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
05.11.10 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
05.12.10 - Tampa, FL - The Ritz
05.14.10 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
05.15.10 - Dallas, TX - Granada
05.16.10 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
05.18.10 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
05.19.10 - Las Vega, NV - House of Blues
05.20.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Mayan Theatre
05.21.10 - Pomona, CA - Glass House
05.22.10 - San Diego, CA - SOMA
05.23.10 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater
05.26.10 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
05.27.10 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
05.28.10 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
05.29.10 - George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
• Minus the Bear: http://minusthebear.com
• Dangerbird Records: http://www.dangerbirdrecords.com
Horse Feathers! US tourdates announced? That's just ridiculous!
Well, this is the most preposterous news we've heard all day; some straight-up Groucho Marx shit. Horse Feathers think they're going on tour! Sure, they put out a wintry little masterpiece called House with No Home (TMT Review) last year, and they're channeling the upcoming spring season with Thistled Spring, coming out April 20 on Kill Rock Stars, but since when does that mean they get to tour? What? ...Oh.
Well, I still say it's poppycock.
04.09.10 - Berkeley, CA - UC Berkeley - Sproul Plaza -
04.11.10 - Eugene, OR - Sam Bond's Garage
04.13.19 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
04.15.10 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
04.16.10 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Media Club
04.17.10 - Spokane, WA - The Empyrean
04.20.10 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cedar Cultural Center
04.21.10 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
04.22.10 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
04.23.10 - South Bend, IN - Subkirke
04.24.10 - St Louis, MO - Billiken Club 2
04.26.10 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
04.27.10 - Buffalo, NY - The Ninth Ward at Babeville
04.28.10 - Toronto, ON, Canada - Drake Hotel
04.29.10 - Montreal, QC - Divan Orange
04.30.10 - Boston, MA - The Red Room at Cafe 939
05.01.10 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
05.03.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall
05.04.10 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
05.05.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
05.06.10 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
05.07.10 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern
05.10.10 - Louisville, KY - Skull Alley
05.11.10 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop
05.12.10 - Iowa City, IA - The Mill
05.14.10 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
05.15.10 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
05.17.10 - Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
05.18.10 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
05.19.10 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fold In Bootleg Theater
05.20.10 - Visalia, CA - The Cellar Door
05.21.10 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Crepe Place
05.22.10 - Davis, CA - Sophia's Thai Kitchen
05.23.10 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
• Horse Feathers: http://www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic
• Kill Rock Stars: http://www.killrockstars.com
Modest Mouse start another decade with The Moon and Antarctica, vinyl edition
Modest Mouse are doing the same thing at the start of this decade as they did at the start of the 2000s: releasing The Moon and Antarctica. Except that this decade gets a fancy-pants, 10th-anniversary-edition, vinyl reissue of the album!
Vinyl copies of the album, which made it to #51 on our decade list, have been out-of-print and extremely hard to find for years, and Modest Mouse figured they could celebrate a decade of The Moon and Antarctica by not making their fans pay a bunch of money just to hear the album at 33 RPMs. So, Isaac Brock and co. took their major-label debut, critical-darling third album and remastered it, and pet it, and restored the original artwork, and caressed it, and replicated the original "infinite-lock-groove" found on the original vinyl copies, and loved it, and got it all pretty for an April 17 release date.
Fans can pre-order the reissue at Modest Mouse's modest website.
• Modest Mouse: http://www.modestmouse.com
• Epic Records: http://www.epicrecords.com
• Legacy Recordings: http://www.legacyrecordings.com
[Photo: Aaron Farrington]
Peter Wolf Crier sign to Jagjaguwar and release Inter-Be; I have no idea what that previous sentence means
"Peter Wolf Crier," a Minneapolis-based noun featuring Peter Pisano and Brian Moen, has signed an illustrious record contract with Jagjaguwar, another alleged noun, based in Bloomington, Indiana. They plan to release their debut proper noun, something called an Inter-Be, on May 25 in the US and June 7 in the UK.
In case any of you readers were wondering, I don't get paid to know what I'm writing about. I get paid to write articles. I once broke an exclusive story about a new Animal Collective album and didn't realize it until three weeks later when I was named "Employee of the Month." I even fabricated an entire interview with Jandek while in the midst of a three-day ether binge, a piece that earned me an office with windows.
Peter Wolf Crier have released "Crutch & Cane," a noun from their upcoming debut, for free. You can verb it here.
• Peter Wolf Crier: http://www.peterwolfcrier.com
• Jagjaguwar: http://www.jagjaguwar.com/
Band of Horses reveal details of new LP, Infinite Arms
Band of Horses, arguably South Carolina's lushest purveyors of country rock, are returning from a three-year recording break with their third record, Infinite Arms. Their follow-up to 2007's Cease to Begin (TMT Review) will be released May 18 on Brown Records. And on Fat Possum Records. And on Columbia Records! So does that make Infinite Arms Band of Horse's major label debut? Or just one-third of a major label debut? Tough questions for tough times.
Aside from the new label(s), there are a lot of new changes in the Band of Horses world. While past Band of Horses records have been mostly the creation of bandleader Ben Bridwell, Infinite Arms contains a greater degree of contributions from all group members, including the recording debut of touring members Tyler Ramsey and Bill Reynolds. Ol' Mr. Bridwell says, "in many ways, [Infinite Arms] is the first Band of Horses record," due to the new contributions.
Not everything has changed for Band of Horses, though. The new record was produced by the band themselves, but with help from Phil Ek, who also produced their first two records, along with about half the records currently in existence. And, like their past records, the record will include photography from Christopher Wilson.
During the songwriting and recording process of Infinite Arms, Band of Horses spent time in a variety of locales, including Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Mojave desert, Northern Minnesota, the Hollywood Hills, and the Carolinas. Apparently, all this travel has gotten the band a little restless, as the group has embarked on a pretty huge world tour. It's almost like an... infinite tour! Ha! Make up your own puns relating to Everything All The Time (TMT Review) and Cease to Begin — it's not hard.
Band of Horses tourdates:
03.18.10 - Austin, TX - Stubbs BBQ (SXSW)
03.19.10 - Austin, TX - Central Presbyterian Church (SXSW)
04.08.10 - Paris, France - La Fleche D’or
04.09.10 - Brussels, Belgium - Orangerie
04.10.10 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Motel Mozaique, Schouwburg
04.12.10 - London, UK - Koko
04.14.10 - Koln, Germany - Kulturkirche
04.16.10 - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
04.17.10 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Tradgarn
04.18.10 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
04.23.10 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater *
04.24.10 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater *
04.27.10 - Gainesville, FL - Rion Ballroom
04.28.10 - Miami, FL - Fillmore
04.29.10 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
05.01.10 - New Orleans, LA - Jazzfest
05.02.10 - Memphis, TN - Beale St. Music Festival
05.27.10 - Davis, CA - UC Davis Freeborn Hall
05.30.10 - Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater #
05.31.10 - George, WA - Sasquatch! Festival
06.05.10 - Bangor, IE - Ward Park !
06.09.10 - London, UK - Roundhouse
06.12.10 - Glasgow, Scotland - Bellahouston Park !
06.19.10 - Toronto, ON - Olympic Island Concert $
09.25.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater
* Widespread Panic
# She & Him
! Snow Patrol
$ Pavement, Broken Social Scene
• Band of Horses: http://www.bandofhorses.com
• Fat Possum: http://fatpossum.com
• Columbia: http://www.columbiarecords.com
• Zune: http://www.zune.net
Tom Petty announces new album and tour, soccer moms are stoked
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers announced that their first album in eight years, entitled Mojo, is due this spring on Reprise. In preparation, soccer moms everywhere have already purchased new iPods so they can fit Mojo right next to that Jewel greatest hits playlist that takes up 2GB. Tom Petty will hit the road this summer to support his new album, with opening acts My Morning Jacket, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Joe Cocker, ZZ Top, and Drive-By Truckers.
05.06.10 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Pavilion at Walnut Creek &
05.07.10 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre &
05.09.10 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum &
05.15.10 - Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center &
05.16.10 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion &
05.18.10 - Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Arena &
05.22.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl &
06.02.10 - San Diego, CA - Cricket Wireless Pavilion &
06.03.10 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater &
06.05.10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Pavilion &
06.08.10 - Vancouver, BC - GM Place &
06.11.10 - Seattle, WA - The Gorge &
06.12.10 - Seattle, WA - The Gorge &
06.15.10 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome &
06.16.10 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place &
06.19.10 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre &
06.22.10 - St Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center #
06.23.10 - Omaha, MN - Qwest Center #
06.25.10 - Milwaukee, MN - Summerfest @
07.10.10 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre #
07.13.10 - Kansas City, KS - Sprint Center #
07.15.10 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center #
07.17.10 - Chicago, IL - United Center #
07.20.10 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center #
07.22.10 - Detroit, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills #
07.24.10 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagra Pavilion #
07.28.10 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
07.31.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
08.11.10 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena $
08.12.10 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center $
08.14.10 - Darien Lake, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center $
08.15.10 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live $
08.17.10 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theater $
08.19.10 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center %
08.21.10 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center %
08.24.10 - East Rutherford, NJ - IZOD Center %
08.25.10 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Center $
08.27.10 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center $
& Joe Cocker
% My Morning Jacket
$ Crosby, Stills, and Nash
@ ZZ Top
# Drive-By Truckers
• Tom Petty: http://www.tompetty.com
IFPI: $1 million for an artist to enter the "consciousness of the global public"
Ever wonder what it takes to go from this to this this?
Welp, about $1 million, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (LOL @ the laughably aged name). During a recent press conference, John Kennedy, the chairman of the IFPI, challenged anyone to name a new act that has broken through to become a major success without the support of a label. Well, Johnny, if you consider the relative profitability of an artist who invests almost nothing financially, who relies solely on live performance, hard work, and good old-fashioned word of mouth, then there are quite a few successes! However, you just might be right if you are speaking in more worldly and financial terms.
Heres how that million breaks down:
Advance - $200,000
Recording - $200,000
Three videos - $200,000
Tour support - $100,000
Promotion and marketing - $300,000
Kennedy admits that the $1 million is a conservative number and that it's closer to $2 million for jazz and classical artists. Plus, that initial million-dollar expenditure is not a guarantee of profitability, but rather a risky investment in an effort to get the artist on the charts. Once on the charts, profitability is almost a guarantee for future releases, but in his words, "It takes a long time to enter the consciousness of the global public".
Konono N°1 finally release second LP, Assume Crash Position, tour, and collaborate with Herbie Hancock
It has been about six years since Konono N°1 released their debut album, Congotronics. Since then, they have released a number of live records and have toured numerous times, but they never quite found the time to record a new record. Finally in 2010, they have finished their second full-length studio album, Assume Crash Position, which will see release June 8 on Crammed Discs. Following its release, the group will set out on a full North American tour in July. AND, on top of all this, Konono N°1 have also found time to contribute to Herbie Hancock's new album The Imagine Project.
For more information on all things Konono N°1, look for the next issue of The Wire, which will feature an in-depth cover story on the crew. North American dates have not yet been announced, so stay tuned for a forthcoming TMT update.
• Konono N°1: http://www.myspace.com/konononr1
• Crammed Discs: http://www.crammed.be
[Photo: Pieter Hugo]
