YouTube, Warner Music Group Agree on Licensing Deal; Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose” Is BACK as Your Loft Party Closer; This Recession Is OVER
By Nobodaddy on Sep 30 2009
Good news, Madonna, Rob Thomas, Wayne Coyne, Jim Morrison, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joe, Jeff Tweedy, James Hetfield, Enya, Regina Spektor, James Blunt, Ray Charles, Flea, T.I., Keith Sweat, Peter Buck, Jerry Garcia, Faith Hill... uh, Linkin Park: The Strike’s over. You’re going back to work.
The giant music company that isn’t EMI, Warner Music Group (WMG), finally struck a new deal with local indie-startup video website YouTube this week, after some nine months of separating us online music video fans from crucial Burt Bacharach videos and the like. In other words, videos from your fav artists will once again be allowed to waste your precious time with their outrageous online antics, after a spat in December of 2008 led to the hasty and probably Lars Ulrich-approved removal of WMG’s content from YouTube. And aside from once again being accosted with Ulrich’s ugly mug from time to time, this is a pretty good thing for us lazy, underemployed, freeloading, downloading, uploading, commie-socialist types.
So what’s changed? Well, basically, the new deal is that Warner itself will now be in charge of selling ads for its videos rather than the ‘Tube. This will allow the label to set its own prices for those advertisements as well as keep the majority of the ad revenues that result. Sweet. In return, YouTube will receive some sort of cut of all revenue under the terms of the agreement. Hey, let’s all have a money fight.
“We feel this is a sustainable model that works for both parties,” YouTube’s head of music Chris Maxcy said stoically, trying as hard as he could to bite his lip and not LOL at how rich he’s gotten. “It puts control and success of their future in their own hands.” (It was difficult to hear the rest of his interview, because there was a money fight happening in the background.)
In order to help create one of those illusory, McDonald’s-like “premium environments” around which to sell these ads, YouTube will also allow Warner to create custom channels within the service dedicated solely to Warner artists. “Members of the YouTube community will not only be able to access videos and other music-related content from Warner Music Group recording artists and songwriters, but will also gain access to an enhanced user experience on YouTube with a feature-rich, high-quality premium player and enhanced channels," Warner said. The label will then populate these channels with higher-quality video than YouTube’s usual shlock, and the two are developing some kind of branding presence that would help identify Warner videos from all of that pedestrian crap out there. Direct links to artist websites, chat capabilities, and other additional social networking capabilities are also apparently in the works.
But it’s not all “premium roast coffee” and “top choice angus beef” for us users with this new Warner music video channel thing, either. For example, it hasn’t been determined yet whether YouTube users will be able to embed Warner music videos from YouTube on other websites like they can now with regular videos. But concerned sources say if the fidelity of Lars Ulrich’s aforementioned hideous face can’t be replicated through the embedding process, it may not be allowed. Also, user-generated YouTube videos will not be allowed to appear on the premium music video player. And fans will have to wait for Warner’s official music videos to appear on YouTube before they can include label-owned songs in their own “Kiss From a Rose” fan videos and junk, as the label wants to launch its music simultaneously across the service.
But either way, the bottom line is that Warner’s music videos will start reappearing on YouTube in the months ahead. YouTube expects the process will take the remainder of the year to complete (including the time it takes WMG to insert its videos into the YouTube system, as well as the time it will take YouTube to finish building the premium video player and ad platform). And even if you hate Led Zeppelin as much as I do, there will still be plenty of... Genesis... and... Sean Paul... oh crap.
Kid Sister Announces New Album Tracklist and Tourdates, Promises Not to Fight with Her Brother on the Road
By Annapocalypse on Sep 30 2009
Kid Sister may be riding high right now, what with her debut album Ultraviolet coming out later this fall (November 17 to be exact, on Fool’s Gold/Downtown Records), but what she doesn’t know is that trouble is headed her way starting next month when she heads out on tour with Flosstradamus a.k.a. Autobot and J2K (better known as Josh Young, Kid Sister’s younger brother). Speaking from personal experience, younger brothers can be really obnoxious, especially (I imagine) when you’re an up-and-coming Chicago hip-hop star about to break. Let’s just hope Josh can keep the wet willies to a minimum backstage; otherwise there may be a new hip-hop beef in the news this fall.
Ultraviolet tracklisting:
1. Right Hand Hi
2. Life On TV
3. Big n Bad
4. Step (feat. Estelle)
5. Let Me Bang 2009
6. Pro Nails (feat. Kanye West)
7. Daydreaming (feat. Cee-Lo)
8. Switch Board (feat. DJ Gant-Man)
9. 54321
10. Get Fresh
11. You Ain't Really Down
12. Control
Family Affair:
10.19.09 - Vancouver, BC - Venue *
10.20.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumos *
10.21.09 - Portland, OR - Holocene *
10.22.09 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop *
10.23.09 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar *
10.24.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex *
11.08.09 - Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fun Fest
11.25.09 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
11.27.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
11.28.09 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
* Flosstradamus
Faust, Os Mutantes, Mission of Burma, and other non-old and decrepit bands to play Lexington’s Boomslang Fest
By Keith Kawaii on Sep 30 2009
When did the aesthetic of acts like Burning Star Core and Hair Police become part of the independent music establishment? It seems that record labels like Stiltbreeze, Not Not Fun, Olde English Spelling Bee, Woodsist, et al. are as revered as any other indie label out there. "Experimental" isn't a pejorative; it's perhaps the greatest compliment in coded reviewer language. Basically, noise artists shitting on stage isn't what it used to be. TMT obviously loves all that... shit, and as far as I'm concerned, Lexington, KY has been somewhat of a hub for American house-show culture, featuring aforementioned mainstays BxC and Hair Police, but also a host of less-covered, but equally sweet (and incestuous) bands like Tiny Fights, Jovantes, Three Legged Race, and Caboladies.
Case in point: that scene's radio station, WRFL, is putting on a three-day festival to celebrate nothing less than "sound and art." (Don't you wish there were more random celebrations of sound and art?) On October 9-11, you can make your way down to Lexington for the Boomslang Fest, where a whole lot of venues and bars will be hosting music from Faust, Os Mutantes, Mission of Burma, Atlas Sound, Papa M, The Black Angels, Bardo Pond, Rachel Grimes (Rachel's), Teeth Mountain, Kurt Vile, Disappears, Bill Nance, Mark Hosler (Negativland), Burning Star Core, Hair Police, all those sweet Lexington bands, and many more.
The time-specific breakdown, full-band roster, and lots of other info can be found here: http://boomslangfest.com
Brother, Can you Spare a Conscience? The Most Serene Republic Get Robbed in Vancouver
By David Nadelle on Sep 30 2009
During my daily perusal of the checkout line mags, I came across a somewhat bizarre quote from the lovely and talented Natalie Portman. Speaking about the current economic recession, she said, "I think it's kind of an exciting time. Everyone is cutting back." When it comes to scrimping and saving, no one knows like Portman, who recently had to settle for a modest $3.25 million L.A. hovel when she was in the market for a new crash pad. The kind-hearted, penny-pinching Hollywood starlet added, "I've started to see people look more toward their passions and what really excites them."
While the first part of her quote is a tad misguided, though positive, the second part is bang-on. Case in point, passionate and excitable thieves stole a shitload of equipment from The Most Serene Republic Sunday night in Vancouver after the band played a show at The Biltmore. Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Wrong. Regardless of the economic landscape, be it prosperous or crippling, property theft is a most despicable act of cowardice.
Below is the list of instruments and equipment stolen, as well as the group's ongoing (mostly Canadian) tourdates so you come out and support the band. Also look for TMSR's Emma Ditchburn's latest tour blog at Venuszine.com.
Sunday night's bitter experience hasn't been covered yet, but you can bet it will. If anyone has any information regarding the robbery and stolen gear please contact Chris at Arts and Crafts.
Here is the missing gear:
Make: Washburn Acoustic (Natural Finish)Model: D112
Serial #: 86028
Notes: Not original headstock, screw markings
Make: Wasburn Acoustic (blue glossy finish)
Model: EA16MBL
Notes: Small paint chip near end pin
Make: Gibson 335 (white w/ gold binding)
Model: E335 Diamond Cut
Serial #: 0-1387722
Notes: Gold Hardware
Make: King Trombone
Model: Jiggs Whigham 2102L
Serial #: 932731
Notes: Dents on Bell of Trombone. Trombone case is labeled TMSR
Make: Fender Telecaster (yellow)
Model: HWY-1
Serial #: Z4209214
Notes: Paint chips all over guitar
Make: Garrison Acoustic (black)
Model: AGSP-1-BK
Serial #: S06120550
Notes: Thin body acoustic
Make: Audio Tech Pedal Board
Notes: approx: 16"x12"
Make: Boss Tuning Pedal (white w/ orange writing)
Model: Tu-2
Make: Boss Delay Pedal (white w/ blue writing)
Model: DD-6
Make: Boss Delay Pedal (white w/ blue writing)
Model: DD-6
Make: Boss Distortion Pedal (yellow w/ black writing)
Model: SD - 1
Make: Radial D.I. (green)
Make: Washburn flight case for fender Telecaster
Notes: Silver case painted w/ TMSR
Make: Gator 335 Flight Case
Notes: Painted w/ TMSR
Upcoming TMSR tourdates:
09.30.09 - Calgary, AB - Palomino
10.01.09 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
10.02.09 - Saskatoon, SK - Louis' Pub
10.03.09 - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid Cabaret
10.05.09 - Madison, WI - High Noon
10.06.09 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
10.07.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
10.08.09 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
10.09.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Southpaw
10.10.09 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
10.15.09 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
11.04.09 - London, ON - London Music Hall
11.05.09 - Waterloo, ON - Starlite
11.06.09 - Guelph, ON - Albion Hotel
11.07.09 - St. Catherines, ON Level 3
11.08.09 - Hamilton, ON - Casbah
11.11.09 - Peterborough, ON - Montreal House
11.12.09 - Kingston, ON - Bar None
11.13.09 - Montréal, QC - Il Motore
11.14.09 - Ottawa, ON - Zaphod's
11.25.09 - Charlottetown, PE - Hunters Ale House
11.26.09 - Fredericton, NB - Capital
11.27.09 - Halifax, NS - Paragon Theatre
11.28.09 - Sackville, NB - Georges
Guitar Center Accused of Price-Fixing Fretted Instruments
By Brom on Sep 29 2009
Move over Intel. Move over Microsoft, there’s a new monomaniac in town!
On September 22 a nationwide class-action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in California by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, who claims that Guitar Center and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) have been conspiring to fix the price of fretted instruments. The plaintiff argues that “NAMM organized meetings and programs where competing retailers including Guitar Center, were encouraged to discuss and agree upon strategies for price fixing along with other anti-competitive agreements with manufacturers.” They also claim the defendants tried to boycott manufacturers who sold their goods through online competitors. Steve Berman, lead attorney and managing partner at Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, says, “We contend that, even with its market domination, the company acted illegally to rig the marketplace to its benefit.”
As rigorous purveyors of underground culture, the staff at Tiny Mix Tapes had to spend several days finding out what Guitar Center actually was. After completing a field trip to our local store, we recommend to all readers that if you do have to visit one of these capitalist abominations then please make sure you go in a group, hold hands, and avoid as much interaction with the staff as possible.
