Clueless Pop Mega-Star, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Attempts to Sue Anonymous Bloggers (Because He’s R
By Brom on May 28 2009
It seems as if having millions of dollars in one’s bank account (thanks to a successful music career) does not quite prevent you from bouts of uncontrollable rage. Recently Kanye West got seriously pissed at a few twitterers who were pretending to be him on everyone’s favorite micro-blogging service. Now Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler has taken the war on everything-internet-related to the next level by attempting to sue some anonymous bloggers who were impersonating him. The Judge dismissed the case since... eh, well... as nobody knew who these bloggers were, they naturally didn’t bother showing up in court (how funny would it be if one of them actually did though).
Sure, I guess most people would get annoyed at others spreading false rumors, unsubstantiated “facts,” and commenting on your mother who passed away last year, but Steven, dude, we’re talking about the fucking internet here. I get all kinds of abuse sent to my inbox as a result of writing for TMT, which I simply laugh off in the knowledge that as a TMT writer I am better than every other person who dares to venture online. As a global megastar, Mr. Tyler, I think you’ve got better things to do than waste time taking a few morons to court because they weren’t very nice on the internet. Maybe soothe your rage in your own personal Jacuzzi, sleep with your gorgeous girlfriend, or get started making a new Aerosmith album. Just sayin’...
Endless Summer 4EVA 2009 Tour: Calexico Embarks on Globe-Trotting Jaunt through North America and Europe
By Liz Louche on May 28 2009
They started off as mere "former members" of Giant Sand, branching off into the Friends of Dean Martinez. From there, it was onwards and upwards to the likes of Richard Buckner and Victoria Williams, also collaborating with Lisa Germano, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam, Neko Case, and so many beautiful others. This is Calexico we’re talking about here -- namely founding members Joey Burns and John Convertino -- and not only are they hot off the recent(ish) release of the New West DVD Live from Austin, TX, they’re also in the beginning stages of the world’s longest summer tour. They’ve got dates with Neko Case! Dates with Andrew Bird! Dates in a friggin’castle (or at least somewhere that purports to be a castle)! If you’ve ever wanted to throw your workaday existence to the wind and follow some band around, but were too freaked out by the concept of becoming a Deadhead, the Calexico Summer World Tour ’09 might be your best, most mariachi-filled bet.
Begin:
05.28.09 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater *
05.29.09 - Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Auditorium *
05.30.09 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre *
05.31.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre *
06.02.09 - Tacoma, WA - Pantages Theater *
06.15.09 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Perform.Arts **
06.17.09 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
06.18.09 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall **
06.19.09 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavillion **
06.20.09 - Minneapolis, MN - Walker Arts Center ***
07.03.09 - Duisburg, Germany - Traumzeit Festival
07.04.09 - Cluses, France - Musiques en Stock
07.05.09 - Turku, Finland - Ruisrock Festival
07.07.09 - Szczecin, Poland - Pomeranian Duke's Castle
07.08.09 - Berlin, Germany - Citadel Music Festival ****
07.09.09 - Passau, Germany - Residenzplatz Open-Air
07.11.09 - Riehen, Switzerland – Wenkenpark *****
07.12.09 - Brugge, Belgium - Cactus Festival
07.14.09 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Zeltival
07.15.09 - Darmstadt, Germany - Centralstation
07.17.09 - Wiesen, Austria - Nuke Festival
08.07.09 - Herefordshire, United Kingdom - Big Chill Festival
08.09.09 - Zofingen, Switzerland - Heitere Open Air
08.11.09 - Nurnberg, Germany - Serenadenhof
08.13.09 - Avenches, Switzerland - Rock Oz'Arenes
08.15.09 - Goteborg, Sweden - Way Out Festival
* Neko Case
** Andrew Bird
*** Decemberists, Yeasayer
**** Lambchop, Lucinda Williams
***** Lambchop
Record Labels Get a Taste of Their Own Medicine: Usenet Site Sues Dutch RIAA
By Brom on May 28 2009
Record companies love to sue! There’s nothing quite like cornering some dastardly file-sharer with a class-action lawsuit. However, it seems that the Dutch have got pretty well fed up with the labels’ lawyers taking the world and his wife to court every time an illegal download is made. The Usenet site FTD.nu is suing BREIN, the Dutch equivalent of the RIAA, arguing that "FTD only facilitates communication between people who quite legally download from Usenet. FTD does not facilitate or carry out any upload and therefore can not be held liable.” (via hypebot)
FTD have asked the court in the Netherlands to clarify a number of points, including the idea that downloading is legal even where copyrighted material is the subject of the download and that revealing content to users on Usenet via FTD is legal without the permission of copyright holders. I can already see label executives shuddering at the thought that the court might rule in favor of FTD. Maybe they shouldn’t have been so aggressive with their never-ending lawsuits.
Camera Obscura Touring, In Danger of Depleting Stage Banter Supply by Fall
By Kasia Galaxy on May 28 2009
I challenge you to find a more disgustingly cute couple than the one in Camera Obscura's "French Navy" video. Although watching them frolic and swap spit around Europe kind of makes me feel like this googly-eyed ball of fur getting tickled.
The Glasgow band will tour in support of its latest release on 4AD, My Maudlin Career, ending right before summer goes from excitingly warm to thickly miserable, everyone laying around in pools of their own sweat. Prime time for ice pops!
The tourdates:
05.28.09 - Newport, KY - Southgate House
05.29.09 - Chicago, IL - Metro
05.30.09 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Centre
06.01.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
06.02.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
06.04.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
06.05.09 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
06.06.09 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
06.08.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
06.09.09 - Pomona, CA - Glasshouse
06.11.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
06.13.09 - Mexico City, Mexico - Lunario
06.15.09 - Austin, TX - Antone's
06.16.09 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
06.18.09 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree
06.19.09 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
06.20.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
06.21.09 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
06.22.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts
06.24.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
06.25.09 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
06.26.09 - Montreal, QC - La Tulipe
06.27.09 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
06.29.09 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center (OSU)
06.30.09 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
Glastonbury Offers Answers of the Holy Grail in the Form of Music Festival; Lineup Finalized, Children’s Crusade to Follow
By Kat Gardiner on May 27 2009
Glastonbury, a small town in Somerset, England, is shrouded in myth and lore. The church on the hill is rumored to have been built roughly 65 years after Jesus died and house the Holy Grail. It is said that the remains of King Arthur and Guinevere were found there and then moved and subsequently lost during reformation. Recently, ancient papers were found regarding the legendary music festival that happens there once a year, previously thought to be unconnected to the cities more mysterious mysteries. Carbon-data testing shows that the texts were written circa 1267, when people in England sounded a lot more like Americans. The text:
So like, Joseph of Arimathea was hanging out with Jesus at Avalon a long, long, time ago, and shit, drinking mead, playing ping-pong, talking about dinosaurs, ya know. Chillin'. When Joseph was like ‘Let's do this all the time, J’ and then Jesus was like ‘For real! We could have some bands come here and play, and shit, like once a year’ and Joseph was like ‘Dude. That's why you're the prophet. You always gots the best ideas and shit.’
The rest of the document was rendered illegible due to the passage of time and bong-water, but from what scientists were able to piece together, Indiana Jones, after finding the grail years later, decided to start Jesus' festival himself, calling it the Glastonbury Festival, since the town of Avalon had been long ago been renamed in favor of something easier to spell.
This year's already sold-out Glastonbury Festival, running June 24-28, features many stages and many, many performers, including Neil Young, The Specials, Lily Allen, Fleet Foxes, Regina Spektor, Bloc Party, Doves, Fucked Up, Q Tip, The Streets, Ray Davies, Fairport Convention, Animal Collective, Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, Pussy Parlure, British Sea Power, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Kasabian, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dizzee Rascal, Spinal Tap, Eagles Of Death Metal, Franz Ferdinand, Maximo Park, Peter Doherty, Peter, Bjorn and John, The Broken Family Band, Jarvis Cocker, Passion Pit, Tindersticks, Bon Iver, M Ward, Horace Andy, Bombay Bicycle Club, Noah And The Whale, Rye Rye, Eliza Carthy, Badly Drawn Boy, Stereo MCs, Blur, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Madness, Tom Jones, Bon Iver, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Art Brut, The Boxer Rebellion, Echo And The Bunnymen, Black Eyed Peas, Roots Manuva, Cold War Kids, Alela Diane, Terry Reid, Micachu and the Shapes, Robyn Hitchcock, The Aliens, Magic Numbers, Peaches, Appleblim.... and many more.
