$20,000 Buys a Kid 15 Minutes of Fame and Serious Bonding Time with Devo/Tool/Perfect Circle/NIN Dru
By Kat Gardiner on Apr 20 2009
Remember when Pepsi promised to give a Harrier Jet to anyone who paid seven-million Pepsi Points back in the ’90s? And then someone did and they didn't and he sued? And got the freaking jet. (Or maybe he just got reimbursed for his pain and suffering with a lifetime supply of Obama's favorite carbonated beverage. I don't remember). Turns out Josh Freeze, studio drummer turned media savant, isn't a liar like those Pepsi bastards. He said it and he meant it.
Last month, he released a bizarre series of limited-edition VIP packages in support of his new album Since 1972, which was released this March through his website (Nobodaddy can fill you in on the wacky specifics of the offers). Well, someone took the $20,000 bid. A 19-year-old Floridian named Thomas Mrzyglocki. Sounds like they had a rollicking good time. Here's what Josh had to say about the whole thing in an email that was later posted on a NIN forum:
The guy from Florida that bought the $20,000 package and I have been joined at the hip since Sunday and I won't even go into all the stuff that we've done in the past 4 days but I've already gone above and beyond for him and we're continuing to have a blast. I'll start posting stuff soon on my website and on youtube but just to give you a quick idea... mini-golf with Maynard James Keenan, pizza at Mark Mothersbaugh's house, sensory deprivation tank sessions, a signed snare drum I used on a Nine Inch Nails tour, slumber party at the Queen Mary, going to gigs of mine with me, pulling items out of my closet, etc., etc.... He's a great kid and a friend for life. We're having him check out of his hotel and stay at our house tomorrow night. It's a LONG, LONG story that I'll write about later. You can laugh when I say this but it's true when I tell you that he came into my life for a reason other than just the $$. I actually feel bad about taking the $$ because at this point I'm not hanging out with him or pretending to be his friend for the cash. He got all of his stuff (and a bunch more that wasn't on the original menu) a while ago. He's a sweet 19-year-old kid who's had a really rough last couple years (like REALLY fucking rough.) Like... this money he spent to come out here is part of a inheritance he received (you can fill in the blanks there). I feel like his big brother and I'm trying to make this one of the best weeks of his life.
Although my heart-strings are breaking all over the place after reading that, a few things keeps nagging at me: I do not care about Tool, I'm not a fan of NIN, and just plain don't like Perfect Circle. Devo's pretty freaking cool, but I never cared about Josh Freeze until I read about this amazing offer he's got going. I know this is completely subjective, but still, gentle readers, let me be selfish. I want something for me. Something for us. These big budget "rock-gods"? Yawn. This is what I want to see:
- For $50: You get one Julian Koster tape loop.
- For $100: Go thrift-store shopping with the K Records artist of your choice, and they'll promise to knit you something.
- For $1,000: Choose Madlib's new pseudonym.
- For $5,000: Be Your Own Pet will reform and invite you to a private house party.
- For $10,000: Devendra Banhart, Akron/Family, and The Angels of Light will induct you into their commune and/or cult.
- For $15,000: Indulge in some psychedelics while Deerhunter provides you and your five closest friends with a personal concert and cooks you a southern-style breakfast with grits and sweet tea the next morning.
- For $20,000: Bill Callahan will write you a song, after which you'll head over to Will Oldham's house to drink PBR and play with a b.b. gun before being joined by the entire Drag City Catalog for a backyard BBQ and a series of songs around the campfire.
And this is just the start. Possibilities seem endless to me.
An All New World Awaits. X-Men Origins: Bill Callahan
By David Nadelle on Apr 20 2009
“Tiny Mix Tapes: Music Lives Here.” Our unofficial motto doesn’t lie; we don’t run entertainment fluff or blog pictures of Kevin Barnes’ dick too often. That’s why you haven’t seen us run stories about, or worse, post paparazzo pics of Bill Callahan walking hand-in-hand with any of his famous past paramours, be they Chan Marshall, Joanna Newsom, Janet Reno, or this Zwinky. However, while our focus is almost always centered on poorly written music-related wire items, we have decided to break our usual pattern and report, soft news-style, on a significant change in Callahan’s life. Turning abruptly away from his accountant-with-attitude look, Callahan has apparently become obsessed with hair, even going as far as experimenting with growing some, judging by the odd formations of sprouted follicles gathered on his head and face. First the reversion to his birth name, now a Wolverine-inspired grunge makeover? All media should be asking, “What on Earth could be next for Bill Callahan?”
The answer, of course, is “Who gives a shit?” Callahan’s relationship ebbs and flows are of no importance to us, and if he took to sporting high-heeled sneakers, rainbow suspenders, a fish tie, and monocle we wouldn’t even blink. On the other hand, if he announces new tourdates, we jump and scream and lose control of our bladders. Um, some of us do. Most of you will probably just experience an increased heart rate as you scroll your eyes downward to the dates below to see if any are within your “attendance zone.” Callahan will be touring in support of his latest album, the superb Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle (TMT Review and Interview) on Drag City, beginning in Asheville, NC on June 10 and ending in Austin, TX on July 5.
Me, I’d rather catch him in his natural habitat: the human mutant underground where he deftly plays his guitar with those crazy retractable claws
06.10.09 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle
06.12.09 - Washington, DC - Black Cat #
06.13.09 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge #
06.14.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
06.15.09 - Cambridge, MA - Brattle Theater
06.16.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s #
06.19.09 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
06.22.09 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
06.24.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge $
06.26.09 - Kennewick, WA - The Red Room $
06.27.09 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
06.28.09 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
06.30.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bimbo’s 365 Club $
07.01.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
07.03.09 - Tucson, AZ - Plush
07.05.09 - Austin, TX - The Parish
* in-store tour
# Lights
$ Bachelorette
Outside Lands Second Annual Music and Arts Festival Announces Lineup
By Couscous on Apr 20 2009
Mid-latitudinal West Coast residents too lazy to drive to George, Washington's Sasquatch festival or Indio, California's Coachella won't have to miss out on the action. This summer, Another Planet Entertainment, Superfly Productions, and Starr Hill Presents are joining forces with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to put on the second annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival. Over 50 bands will rock San Francisco's Golden Gate Park for the August 28-30 festival -- some of the big'uns include Os Mutantes, TV on the Radio, M.I.A., Deerhunter, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, the National, and (no shit) hirsute Welsh singing legend Tom Jones. Oh yeah, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, and Incubus are playing, but like, you know, whatever.
Besides music, the festival will highlight the food of Northern California, which according to the press release will include everything from vegetarian tacos to raw oysters to homegrown wine. Sounds like just the kind of stuff to feed a bunch of sweaty rock fans on a hot August afternoon! Tickets go on sale August 19 via the festival's website.
Current lineup:
Pearl Jam / Dave Matthews Band / Beastie Boys / Incubus / Black Eyed Peas / M.I.A / Jason Mraz / Ween / The Mars Volta / Thievery Corporation / Modest Mouse / Band of Horses / TV on the Radio / Dead Weather / Atmosphere / Tom Jones / Silversun Pickups / The National / Q-Tip / Brett Dennen / Built to Spill / Mastodon / Raphael Saadiq / Calexico / Os Mutantes / Midnite / JJ Grey & Mofro / Kinky / Deerhunter / Lila Downs / Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue / The Dodos / Bettye LaVette / Dengue Fever / Heartless Bastards / The Dirtbombs / Lenka / Akron /Family / John Vanderslice / Matt and Kim / Portugal. The Man / The Morning Benders / The Duke Spirit / Zee Avi / Blind Pilot / SambaDa / Ryan Bingham / West Indian Girl / Extra Golden
M. Ward Raves On for a Cross-Country Tour
By Kasia Galaxy on Apr 20 2009
I really enjoy painfully referential headlines like that. Anyway, you may have heard M. Ward’s sweetened version of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” or seen the accompanying animated video (which quite prominently features Zooey “I Can Write About Fabric and You’ll Love the Crap Out of It” Deschanel, which I find odd considering her backup singing isn't that noticeable or prominent) -- or maybe you've heard of Hold Time (TMT Review)? Hopefully you have. It's an album I would file under “Sweet Album Covers of the Year.”
M. Ward, on the other hand, would be filed under “People Whose Concerts are Over $20.” He's on tour now, with a firm date for XX Merge to be announced.
Tourdates:
04.20.09 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
04.22.09 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
04.23.09 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
04.24.09 - Milwaukee, WIK - Pabst Theater
04.25.09 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
04.26.09 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
04.27.09 - Toronto, ON - The Phoenix Theatre
04.28.09 - Montreal, QC - Le National
05.18.09 - Visalia, CA - Fox Theatre
05.19.09 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre
05.22.09 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
05.23.09 - George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
06.25.09 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser
06.28.09 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
06.29.09 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
06.30.09 - London, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire
07.03.09 - Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter Festival
07.04.09 - Utrecht, The Netherlands - Tivoli
07.23.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Twilight Concert Series*
07.27.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
07.28.09 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
07.30.09 - Washington, DC - 930 Club
08.01.09 - New York, NY - Summerstage*
* Free to the public
Judge Denies College Student Defendant Live Webcast of Trial in RIAA Lawsuit
By Couscous on Apr 20 2009
Filesharers have yet another defendant for whom to rally. Boston University graduate student Joel Tenenbaum is one of the latest people faced with a filesharing lawsuit filed by the RIAA (oddly enough after the organization claimed it was ceasing its lawsuits). He's pursuing his case pro se, which basically means sans professional legal counsel -- his advising team essentially consists of a group of students under the guidance of Harvard professor Charles Nesson and the backing of a whole heaping of Internet awareness campaigning via Twitter, Facebook, and the group's own website, Joel Fights Back.
Tenenbaum was handed a bit of a setback in the online awareness area when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit sided with the RIAA and unanimously rejected U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner's decision to allow the trial to be narrowcast on the internet. Presumably, the RIAA wants to keep such a trial under wraps, as it has previously received mostly negative coverage for its efforts to sue music fans, but what is little known is that the RIAA also seriously objects to the broadcasting of any of its lawsuits because of its lawyers' uncanny resemblance to the Skeksis in The Dark Crystal.
The First Circuit's decision has wider-ranging repercussions than just this trial -- had it decided the opposite, the panel would have given Massachusetts District Court Judges the discretion to webcast court proceedings. Tenenbaum and his supporters say they will continue to explore every legal option that is available for his defense.
