OMG, Shut Up Everyone! Like, MTV Moves Out of Times Square Studio; Future of Music Now All “Uncertain” and Shit!

By Nobodaddy on

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Zzzzzz... zzzzzzzzzz... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

...HUH? WHA?! Oh... sorry guys, I guess I nodded off there. Jeeeez I’m tired today. Um, I’m supposed to be writing this story about how MTV is apparently moving out of its “famed studio overlooking Times Square” in New York City at the end of this year, according to their landlord, SL Green. *Yaaawn*... oh, ‘scuse me... but yeah, I know, right? According to the New York Post, I guess that MTV's parent company, Viacom, didn't renew its studio lease when it extended its lease on more than 1 million square feet of offices at, ummmmmm... hang on... let me see... ah: at 1515 Broadway, between 44th and 45th streets, last year. And while it could still make an offer on the space (which is, I guess, now possibly 10 times more costly than it was 12 years ago, or whatever or something), it has not yet... you know... done that, blah blah blah. Man, I did NOT get enough sleep last night!

Ummm, mum, mum, mum, mum... lets see heeeeeere: It says here that “‘We're taking it back from MTV at end of year,’ SL Green Leasing Director Steven Durels said. ‘We're actively marketing it, and we think it will be the crowning touch of the retail development we've done since we bought the building,’ which signed store tenants Billabong, Element, and Bank of America.” God, this print is kinda small.

Well, whatever-his-name-is also said the 22,216-square-foot, second-floor studio -- which has block-long, 167-foot frontage and 16-foot-high windows visible to daily hordes of office employees, shoppers, and visitors from around the world -- could be used as a store, or for another "broadcast use." Like, duh right? God, my back hurts today... but yeah, sorry... uh, I guess old boy didn't say how much Green was asking, but databases list it at $450 per square foot for the studio, and a, *yaaaaaaaaaawn*, $1,000 per square foot for the 1,624-square-foot MTV store at street level, which must be taken with the studio space, for a total rent of... oh my fucking god, hang on... where’s that calculator... ah, yeah: of $11.6 million a year. Sheesh, how about that? Guess they probably can’t afford it or somethin’, huh? GOD, I am so HUNGRY too! Where’s that intern with those Jimmy John’s orders?

Siiiiigh. Whatever. Back to work. Focus, focus. Breaking news here. Aggggghhhhhhhm!!! Aaaaaaand, of course, MTV opened the studio there in 1997, when Times Square was emerging from its age of crappy, porny, violent, muggy whateverness, and blah blah blah, blah blah. The studio served as home to TRL and Carson Daly, da-dah, da-dah, da-dah. And it drew throngs of annoying tweens with cell phones to the "magical" sidewalks below, screaming and yelling and skipping school and hoping to spot their favorite stars and snag autographs and...

........

Zzzzzz... zzzzzzzzzz... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Lightning Bolt to Release Earthly Delights in November October

By Mango Starr on 08-14-2009

I've always thought it'd be thrilling to have people watch me and my boyfriend have sex. My boyfriend, Chris, is so hott -- about 6-feet tall, brown wavy hair, a nice lean body, and eyes you can get lost in -- that I could have his earthly delights just about anywhere, anytime. And I liked the idea of his friends thinking I'm a slut.

Speaking of earthly delights, Lightning Bolt have a new album coming out October 13*, and what do you know? It's titled Earthly Delights and is set for release through Load. Here's a vid of a Hypermagic Mountain (TMT Review) track to pump you uuuuup:

Earthly Delights tracklist:

1. Sound Guardians
2. Nation of Boar
3. Colossus
4. The Sublime Freak
5. Flooded Chamber
6. Funny Farm
7. Rain on Lake I'm Swimming In
8. S.O.S.
9. Transmissionary

* We originally posted a November release date, but drummer Brian Chippendale kindly told us that his original MySpace post was incorrect.

Neil Young Named 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year, as well as Coolest Guy in Flannel

By Kid Midnight on 08-14-2009

Neil Young, one of the awesomest dudes ever, has recently been announced as the recipient of yet another award. However, this new accolade, while recognizing Young’s artistic and musical achievements over a multi-decade career, primarily focuses on Young's philanthropic and humanitarian work.

The MusiCares Person of the Year award, first given in 1991 and previously held by such luminaries as Aretha Franklin, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Bono, and plenty of others, hopes to establish the recipient as a truly caring and charitable musician... officially!

Yeah! That’s right! Neil Young totally gives a shit about you! Well, as long as you’re a farmer or a child with severe speech and/or physical impairments. Just joking, Neil Young totally cares about everyone (except Graham Nash); he just knows that farmers and physically disabled children could use a little help, which is exactly why Neil Young is receiving this new honor.

The singer/songwriter/guitarist began his philanthropic work in 1985 when he co-founded and organized the first Farm Aid concert along with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cougar Mellencamp. (The benefit festival continues to raise money for farmers, and the next event is planned for October of this year.) Beyond helping the family farmers of America, Young and his wife also run the annual Bridge School Concerts. Started in 1986, the shows aim to raise money for physically impaired children.

Neil Portnow, president/CEO of the Recording Academy and the MusiCares Foundation, had this to say about Mr. Young: “Neil has set a standard of artistic integrity and iconoclastic creativity for more than four decades, and his achievements have been matched by his unwavering humanitarianism.”

The award ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on January 29, two days before the Grammy Awards.

Uh Oh, There’s Trouble In Paradise! Dan Deacon Ditches Deerhunter And No Age For A Solo Fall Tour

By Annapocalypse on 08-14-2009

It’s tough to tour with two of the biggest indie bands out there and not get a little competitive. Rumor has it that Dan Deacon was a little pissed when Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Randy Randall of No Age participated in a friendly dance-off during their Milwaukee tour-stop earlier this month and didn’t invite him. Sure, Randy ended up dislocating his shoulder from said dance-off, but Dan considers it karma for not inviting him in the first place. The dude may be a tad corpulent and wear glasses as fragile as your grandma’s, but that doesn’t mean he can’t kick it on the dance floor. As a result of their falling out -- again, as rumor has it -- Dan has decided to embark on his own solo tour this fall, describing the upcoming jaunt as: “an expansion of my floor show set, immersive experience, heavy emphasis on visuals.” He'll be presumably touring in support of his exclusive track for the TMT benefit comp.

Dans Solo:
10.01.09 - Chapel Hill, NC - Cat's Cradle *
10.02.09 - Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum *
10.03.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt *
10.04.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree *
10.05.09 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In *
10.06.09 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone Café *
10.07.09 - New Orleans, LA - Big Top *
10.09.09 - Austin, TX - Emo's *
10.10.09 - Marfa, TX - The Shade Structure*
10.14.09 - Irvine, CA - University of California-Irvine *
10.15.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo *
10.16.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Eagle Rock Center for the Arts *
10.17.09 - San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island Festival
10.19.09 - Sacramento, CA - Fungarden *
10.21.09 - Eugene, OR - University of Oregon Cultural Forum *
10.22.09 - Portland, OR - Worksound *
10.23.09 - Portland, OR - Holocene *
10.24.09 - Seattle, WA - Vera Project *
10.27.09 - Denver, CO - Rhinoceropolis *
10.29.09 - Northfield, MN - Carleton College *
10.30.09 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium *
11.01.09 - Gambier, OH - Kenyon College *
11.03.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dees *
11.04.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Great Hall *
11.05.09 - Montreal, Quebec - Il Motore *
11.06.09 - Montreal, Quebec - Eastern Bloc *
11.07.09 - Middlebury, VT - Middlebury College *
11.08.09 - Boston, MA - Mass Art *
11.10.09 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse *
11.13.09 - Worcester, MA - Clark University *
11.15.09 - Ithaca, NY - Ithaca College *

* Nuclear Power Pants

No Age Announces Fall Tour, Because Randy Randall Is Made of Metal and Eats Bullets for Breakfast and Cannot Be Stopped By Anything

By E. Nagurney on 08-13-2009

Randy Randall, you are more of a man than I will ever be. I saw the fall you took during that No Deachunter show, and, I have to say, that thing looked nasty. If I had been in your position, I’d likely be home lying on my couch, eating sandwiches, and playing Mario. And I’d be like that for a while. Not you, though, Mr. Randall. You apparently don’t let anything get you downk and that’s why you and your buddy Dean Spunt are hitting the road this fall. The tour will hit about a half-dozen U.S. dates, followed by a couple European ones, then topped off with a show in San Francisco. Here’s hoping your shoulder gets better by then, Mr. Randall.

No Age Fall Dates:
08.29.09 - San Diego, CA - Street Scene 2009
09.05.09 - Los Angeles, CA - FYF Fest
09.06.09 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
09.13.09 - Monticello, NY - Kutsher’s Country Resort
10.14.09 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
10.16.09 - New York, NY - New Museum (performing “The Bear”)
10.19.09 - London, UK - Scala
10.21.09 - Berlin, Germany - West Germany
10.23.09 - Oslo, Norway - Betong
10.24.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Crawdaddy
10.30.09 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall

RIP: Les Paul

By Shane Mack on 08-13-2009

From Rolling Stone:

Les Paul, one of the most revered guitarists of all time and the forefather of the electric guitar, passed away last night, August 12th at the age of 94. Paul’s manager confirmed to Rolling Stone that cause of death was respiratory failure, and a statement from Gibson indicates Paul was suffering from severe pneumonia and died at a hospital in White Plains, New York. An inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame, Paul is credited as the creator of the electric body guitar and the pioneer of recording techniques like electronic echo and multi-tracking. Paul also had a celebrated career as both a solo artist and with singer Mary Ford, his wife until 1964.

- Les Paul official website
- Les Paul Wikipedia entry

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