RIP: Richard Delvy, surf-rock pioneer

By Shane Mack on

RIP: Richard Delvy, surf-rock pioneer

From Reuters:

Richard Delvy, a pioneering surf-rock drummer, composer, arranger, publisher and producer, died February 6 at West Hills Hospital in California after a long illness. He was 67.

Born on April 20, 1942, in Bridgeport, Conn., Delvy relocated to Southern California and became the drummer for the Bel-Airs, one of the earliest surf-rock groups. The band had a regional hit with the instrumental “Mr. Moto,” which was covered by acts including the Ventures and Dick Dale and His Del-Tones. The original track was included in Rhino’s 1996 four-disc compilation “Cowabunga! The Surf Box.” Delvy later formed the Challengers and produced its 1963 debut album, “Surfbeat,” which sold well and helped solidify the polarity of surf music and culture.

• Richard Delvy (allmusic): http://tinyurl.com/ya89d79

EMI Tries To Do More With Less, Again. Yes, More Job Cuts.

By Deno on 02-12-2010

It would be fair to say that the last couple of years have been rough for EMI. Between losing domestic market share, being forced to cut thousands of jobs, and having both legal and philosophical disputes with some of their premier artists, one might think it’s a good time for some adjustments. The top brass at EMI seem to think so too, and have laid down new plans they hope will bring the company back to its former glory.

So what will this new approach look like? Will it involve innovative marketing techniques and a forward-thinking approach to new media platforms? Perhaps a renewed focus on artist and customer relations to revitalize a brand Paul McCartney once called, in an interview with the British newspaper The Times, “really very boring”?

No, EMI’s answer to the challenge at hand is… more job cuts. But EMI isn’t just getting rid of employees; the UK’s Telegraph reports that the company is also seeking to reduce “investment in new systems” and eliminate any “duplication.”

While paring down might be critical to returning EMI to profit, we can only hope there’s some room for growth in their long-term strategy. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date on any new developments.

Shocking Details on New Erykah Badu Album Details/Lost Connection

By Liz Louche on 02-12-2010

I know you’ve been religiously checking this website every day to see if there are new details on the upcoming Erykah Badu album New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh. So today’s your lucky day! We’ve got DETAILS GALORE on the new political/Lost-themed-sounding album, due for a March 30 release on Universal Motown. (“Return of the Ankh” is tooooootally a reference to the giant, apparently paper-mache ankh Hurley was carrying in that guitar case last week, am I right? I so am.)

Things we know:

1. “Jump in the Air” (a tribute to Kris Kross’ “Jump”? I wish) features guest vocals from Andre 3000 and Lil Wayne. That song has been (intentionally) leaked and will no longer be on the album, but instead available as a web-only bonus track.

2. Badu produced or co-produced every track on this album, with other rad producers, including people like Madlib, J Dilla, and 9th Wonder.

3. ?uestlove makes an appearance on “Window Seat.”

4. Erykah Badu will be performing across the United States this summer as part of Lilith Fair!

Tracklisting:

01. 20 Feet Tall [produced by Erykah Badu and 9th Wonder]
02. Window Seat [produced by Erykah Badu and James Poyser, featuring ?uestlove]
03. Agitation [produced by Erykah Badu and Shafiq Husayn of SA-RA Creative Partners]
04. Get Money [produced by Erykah Badu]
05. Don’t Be Long [produced by Erykah Badu and Taarak]
06. Love [produced by Erykah Badu and J Dilla]
07. Umm Hmm [produced by Erykah Badu and Madlib]
08. Fall in Love [produced by Erykah Badu and Karriem Riggins]
09. Incense (Instrumental) [produced by Erykah Badu and Madlib]
10. Out My Mind Just in Time (Part 1) (Undercover Over-Lover) [produced by Erykah Badu]
11. Out My Mind Just in Time (Part 2) [produced by Erykah Badu and Georgia Anne Muldrow]
12. Jump in the Air [ft. Lil Wayne and Bilal] [produced by Erykah Badu, RC Williams and Jahborn] *

* web-only bonus track

• Erykah Badu: http://www.erykahbadu.com
• Universal Motown: http://universalmotown.com

Google Responds to Music Blog Takedowns

By Aaron Norman on 02-12-2010

There’s a blog battle going on, and Google, owner of Blogger, is right in the middle. If you’re an amateur music blogger or reader, chances are you’re very familiar with the free blog-hosting service Blogspot. Many of these Blogspot sites host music downloads in MP3 format, and some go as far as sharing entire albums. But this isn’t really news to online music lovers.

What is news is how Google has recently started removing music blogs that don’t comply with its terms of service (you know, that long list of rules you and I skip over after agreeing to any service) — more specifically, the rules relating to its “Digital Millennium Copyright Act” policy. This sudden “crackdown” has caused an outrage among bloggers and readers alike, spawning feverish discussion on message boards everywhere. The problem is many of the affected bloggers technically weren’t breaking any rules and had legal permission to share the music they were linking or hosting; of course, some didn’t.

Google responded to the whole mess today by posting what to do if your blog is incorrectly targeted. It also made it pretty clear that taking blogs offline is not its first step when receiving a DMCA complaint. It claims to first notify the blogger in order to give them time to respond properly to said complaints.

Hopefully those who were wrongfully shut down can resume their blogs after the dust settles, and for those who can’t: consider private hosting on a purchased domain.

Times New Viking Take the Matador Company Jet to Europe and Expand Spring Tour

By Liz Louche on 02-11-2010

Ahhh, to be a member of Times New Viking. All dating cast members of Gossip Girl, popping champagne with Diddy, and getting animated e-cards from the President. One day you’re a band from Columbus, Ohio, releasing records on Siltbreeze… the next thing you know, you’re opening for Yo La Tengo and singing karaoke in Hollywood with the good-looking Kardashian. And then, whilst the rest of us are sitting in our cubicles waiting for summer to finally FINALLY arrive, you’re jetting off to Europe for an extensive spring tour! Some people have all the luck*.

* At least two of these statements are true. I’ll let you guess which ones.

More dates:

03.17.10 - Manchester, UK - Sound Control
03.18.10 - Glasgow, UK - Nice & Sleazy
03.19.10 - Leeds, UK - The Brudenell Social Club
03.20.10 - London, UK - The Dome
03.21.10 - Cambridge, UK - The Portland Arms
03.23.10 - Gent, Belgium - Charlatan
03.24.10 - Hamburg, Germany - Prinzenbar
03.25.10 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen
03.26.10 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser
03.27.10 - Umea, Sweden - Umea Open Festival
03.29.10 - Oslo, Norway - Mono
03.30.10 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Parken
03.31.10 - Aarhus, Denmark - Musikcafeen
04.02.10 - Prague, Czech Republic - Klub 007 Strahov
04.03.10 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Le Romandie
04.04.10 - Vienna, Austria - B72
04.05.10 - Munich, Germany - 59:01:00
04.06.10 - Wurzburg, Germany - Cairo
04.07.10 - Berlin, Germany - Festsaal Kreuzberg
04.08.10 - Leipzig, Germany - Nato
04.09.10 - Hanover, Germany - Glocksee
04.10.10 – Munster, Germany - Gleis 22
04.11.10 - Groningen, Netherlands - Vera
04.12.10 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - OCCII
04.20.10 - Porto, Portugal - Plano B
04.21.10 - Lisbon, Portugal - ZDB
04.22.10 - Madrid, Spain - Moby Dick
04.23.10 - Valencia, Spain - El Tinglado No 2
04.24.10 - Barcelona, Spain - Nitsa
04.27.10 - Norwich, UK - Arts Centre
04.28.10 - Liverpool, UK - The Masque
04.29.10 - Nottingham, UK - Bodega Social Club
04.30.10 - York, UK - Stereo
05.01.10 - Birmingham, UK - The Victoria

[Photo: Julio Enriquez]

• Times New Viking: http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking
• Matador: http://www.matadorrecords.com

Bikini Kill Collect Fans’ BK-Related Stories For Online Archive; Submit Now!

By Erika H on 02-11-2010

In life, there are certain things you’ll always remember: where you were when you heard about Michael Jackson’s death (I was enjoying the free continental breakfast at a hotel in Nebraska) or the collapse of the World Trade Center (Mme. ___’s French class). These moments never fade, even if you can’t recall the color of the curtains or whether or not there was rain that day. But do you remember the first time you listened to Bikini Kill?

Bikini Kill want your stories now! Go to their official online archive to post your riot grrrl memories: reminisce about the shows you saw or wish you’d seen, your old crush on Kathleen Hanna, or the pain of being the only kid in high school to know that Kill Rock Stars wasn’t a West Coast terrorist movement. Did you go to Evergreen with Kathleen? Were you ever in a BK cover band? Did you give The Singles to a friend for Christmas and change her life forever?

Email bkillarchive@gmail.com or just post a comment on the site. If you have any video footage of BK shows, mail it to:

Bikini Kill c/o Kathleen Hanna
51 MacDougal Street #227
NYC, NY 10012

• Bikini Kill: http://bikinikillarchive.wordpress.com
• Kill Rock Stars: http://www.killrockstars.com

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