Jimmy Carl Black, the original drummer for Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, passed away this past weekend after a bout with lung cancer. He was 70. Black, the self-proclaimed “Indian of the group,” served with the Mothers from their acclaimed 1964 debut Freak Out! until Zappa’s 1970 album Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Black is also known for donning a dress on the cover of We’re Only In It For the Money. Black’s drumming also formed the heartbeat during the band’s chaotic live performances captured on albums like Uncle Meat and Burnt Weeny Sandwich. Black also played a noticeable role in the Zappa film 200 Motels, where he sang “Lonesome Cowboy Burt.” In his post-Mothers career, Black played in several bands, including a stint with Captain Beefheart, Geronimo Black (which Black fronted) and the Zappa tribute bands like the Grandmothers and the Muffin Men. A benefit for Black will be held November 9th at the Bridgehouse II in London.
Get in here and shut that door, boy; quick, yer letting the heat out! Didn’t you hear? There’s Icy Demons outside! What?! What do you mean you “haven’t heard the legends?” Didn’t yer ma and pop teach ya anything??? Lord o’ mercy. Well, what’re ya waiting for? Sit down then... I guess it’s a granddad’s job to do everything around here.
Ya see, legend has it that every fall, when the last of them colored leaves is finished fallin’ from the last maple tree, that’s when the Icy Demons come. Awakenin’ from their summer of slumber and fresh off of the release of a new album of demonicly crafted pop inventiveness, say, this year’s Miami Ice (TMT Review), they descend upon the land of the mortals and rove the countryside with their ill-gotten chums, frostin’ over the farmlands and blowin’ down the thermometers with their icy breath!
Oh, and you better believe they’re a-comin’ for us, the whole cursed crew, with their terrible siren songs meant to lure the unawares outside into the chill! It won’t be long now. I can hear ‘em marchin’, even now. There’s the fearsome Pow Pow (Man Man, Need New Body) on drums, the demented captain Blue Hawaii (Need New Body, Bablicon) on bass and vocals, the woebegone Jeff Parker (Tortoise) on guitar, the insatiable Josh Abrams (Prefuse 73, Sam Prekop) on upright bass, the maniacal Chicago improviser Tomeka Reid on cello, and, of course, the flesh-freezing Russell Higbee (Man Man) on guitar! They’re all comin’ for us, I tell ya! I can feel it now, boy! The grip of the Demons’ icy fingers on my heart! Runnin’ along the left side of my body! Tinglin’ my left arm and... aw, wait. Call an ambulance, boy.
Even if the extent of your political involvement consists largely of tuning into The Daily Show every night, you probably know all about LOBBYISTS. Whether they're the butt of a satirical news program joke, or the "icky" concept a candidate uses to distance himself from "Washington Insiders" and big-money legislation, lobbyists just wanna have fun. After all, why would so many of their ilk take senators on all those fishing trips to Alaska or help congressional buddies refurbish their $5 million dream kitchen? Because they're nice, giving dudes who love nothing more than havin' a good time!
And it's for that very reason that the Digital Freedom Campaign has asked legendary cut-n-paste guy Mark Hosler of San Francisco's Negativland to join the party. But there will be no deep sea fishing or home improvement projects for this guy, because he's going to Washington to work. Yes, to fight for your right to party.
- The issue: sampling in collage music. - The background: America's new favorite "citizen lobbyist" Hosler knows all about legal ramifications to making art due to his run-in with U2 as a result of Negativland's no-holds-barred U2 samplestravaganza on their 1991 U2 EP. - The reason: the success of 2 fast 2 illegal acts like Girl Talk have reopened the dialogue with concerned members of Congress who probably rarely throw their hands in the air like they just don't care OH MY GOD THEY COMBINED ALICIA KEYS WITH NIRVANA???? - The who: Digital Freedom Campaign is a group interested in preserving the right of artists and fans to make and listen to the collage tracks that confuse my dear mom so much.
Now that's hard-hitting. But it's not just on C-SPAN where you can get a dose of new Negativland crunk. They've revamped their website with radio broadcasts of their "Over the Edge" radio show and have a handful of live dates coming up.
Negativland tourdates: 12.02.08 - Boulder, CO - Old Man Theater 12.03.08 - Boulder, CO - Old Man Theater
Negativland screening/lecture with Mark Hosler: 11.03.08 - New York, NY - NYU 11.06.08 - Purchase, NY - Suny Purchase 11.12.08 - Knoxville, TN - Museum Of Art
Apparently sensing that his moment of seemed relevancy was quickly coming to an end, faux-famed Samuel Wurzelbacher joined forces with The Press Office on October 28.
Better known to America as "Joe the Plumber," Wurzelbacher signed on with the Nashville-based PR representation offices to handle his booming media requests. Yes, it's apparent now that the whole "Joe the Plumber" election trend is pretty out of control, despite some key discrepancies. FACT: This man's first name ISN'T EVEN JOE. This much is obvious. Worse yet, FACT 2: Wurzelbacher is an unlicensed plumbing technician. He ISN'T EVEN A PLUMBER.
He also isn't a country singer, but apparently technicalities aren't important in the frivilous news sector of presidential elections, and that's the reality in which we're operating here. What started as some (incorrect) name-dropping on Sen. John McCain's part has turned into a possible record deal with a major label for our Holland, Ohio everyman.
According to The Press Office's Jim Della Croce, Wurzelbacher doesn't even have any notable musical talent. He is a country music fan who can sing and "knocks around on guitar," Croce told Politico. But hey, with a "(name) the (noun)" setup this catchy, a guy can make do. Such a moniker has done wonders for Larry the Cable Guy, right?
It's done enough for Wurzelbacher to put him in touch with country music artist and producer Aaron Tippin.
And if his knocking around doesn't put Wurzelbacher on the radio airwaves, maybe we can at least watch for him in any upcoming sequels to Larry the Cable Guy, Health Inspector. But with any luck, after November 4, everyone will fully realize the insignificance of non-Joe the non-plumber.
Def Jam executive VP Shakir Stewart reportedly committed suicide today (Nov. 1) in Atlanta, according to sources. No other details were available at deadline.
"L.A. Reid and all of us at Island Def Jam Music Group are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague Shakir Stewart," read a statement sent from the label today. "Shakir was an amazing man in every sense of the word. A truly incredible friend and father who was an inspiration to not only our artists and employees, but to his family and the many people that had the privilege of counting him as a friend. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family at this very difficult time."
Stewart succeeded Jay-Z at the top of the Def Jam ladder in June and also retained his duties as senior VP of A&R at Island Def Jam. The Oakland, Calif., native signed such artists as Rick Ross, Young Jeezy and newcomer Karina Pasian.
Henry Hay, your soon-to-be favorite jazz man, has been getting attention lately for his YouTube videos. But why should you care about his decidedly white jazz? It's easy to appreciate late-’50s hard bop, partly because the sound is so damn good, but what about the era's aesthetic? Whenever I hear modern jazz simply mining those old sensibilities (call it lounge jazz, I guess) I vomit in my throat. Why? Well, since the popularization of jazz, emerging from ‘sophisticated’ classical music's migration to the Southern USA, the art form has never stood still for very long. You could even go so far as saying jazz as a genre is an illusion -- based on certain harmonic principles, yes, but never relevant without progression.
Some would say that the likes of Henry Hey and his brand of jazz are simply aping a sense of nostalgia long forgotten by the public at large. Others would say like-minded musicians are just keeping the dream alive... and you know... I couldnt agree with them more.... I couldnt disagree... with you... I couldnt agree... with you more, than the fact that--
Just watch the videos:
*These videos were solely responsible for this article being written.
