Motown drummer Uriel Jones, whose hard-driving funk propelled classic tunes by the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, died in a Michigan hospital on Tuesday after suffering complications from a heart attack, a family member said. He was 74.
Jones, the last surviving drummer in the Motown session band known as the Funk Brothers, was stricken in mid-February but had been showing signs of improvement, said his sister-in-law Leslie Coleman. He relapsed last Tuesday, and died at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn, she told Reuters.
He was a key component of the "psychedelic soul" foray by the Temptations, including "Cloud Nine" and "I Can't Get Next to You," and brought a party feel to their earlier hit "Ain't Too Proud To Beg."
You can't front on this. The Beastie Boys' third album Check Your Head, originally released in 1992, is getting re-released on April 7. Optional configurations of the album, available through the band's website, will include a 4LP 180 HQ vinyl version and t-shirts to help you truly become "the master blaster drinking up the Shasta."
Check Your Head was a landmark album for the group primarily because it was the first time the trio had picked up instruments since its days as a New York City hardcore band. In place of the wall-of-samples sound that hallmarked the album's predecessor, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head vibrated with instrumental funk jams and (dare I say it?) rap rock that was actually good. Add keyboardist Money Mark and producer Mario Caldato, Jr. and you had what turned out to be one of the funkiest and most forward-thinking albums of the ’90s.
In other news, the Beasties are set to headline L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl on September 24. Pre-order the Check Your Head deluxe reissue at the band's website: http://www.beastieboys.com.
Full list of Check Your Head reissue configurations is as follows:
- Digital Download (album and b-sides) - Deluxe Digital Option (also includes videos and video commentary) - Deluxe, limited collector's vinyl + Digital Download - Standard double vinyl + Digital Download - Ecopack double CD + Digital Download - Shirt combos: - Deluxe Digital + shirt: - Standard Vinyl + shirt: - CD + shirt: - Deluxe, limited collector's vinyl + shirt
In New Jersey, the PNC Bank Arts Center -- a joint that Live Nation promotes -- allegedly charged concertgoers a $6 parking fee per head, not per vehicle.
The New York Daily (via Digital Music News) uncovered the extra charge, which even supposedly dropped on people arriving on a bus. Live Nation maintains that it's charged this before; it's an overall facility fee, alleviates traffic, yadda yadda yadda. Either way, it's pissing people off.
It's uncertain what this might mean for the proposed Ticketmaster and Live Nation merger, but it seems disgruntled folks and artists are speaking up now more than ever.
For the past six months, we’ve been hit with worsening economic news week after week. Whether it's unemployment, manufacturing output, or GDP growth, business news has been like watching a car crash in slow-motion and we’re still witnessing crumpling metal, shattering glass, and the painful screeching of tires on tarmac. Nevertheless, in the midst of this ugly, shocking scene, there is a bright spot: Ticketmaster lost $1 billion in the last quarter of 2008 -- heehee!
The company’s share price has fallen from $20, when it spun off from IAC/InterActiveCorp, to March 19's price of $4.09. Consequently, Ticketmaster had to take an impairment charge to account for its falling share price, resulting in this billion dollar loss. Additionally, the organization’s fourth-quarter revenue was down 4% from the previous year, thanks to the struggling economy, Live Nation’s launch of its own ticketing platform in January, and a dearth of high-profile tours compared to the same period a year prior.
New Orleans blues singer-pianist Eddie Bo, who worked with musicians such as Irma Thomas and Art Neville, has died of a heart attack. He was 79.
His death was confirmed Friday by his close friend and booking agent, Karen Hamilton.
Hamilton said Eddie Bo, whose real name was Edwin Joseph Bocage, had a "sudden, massive heart attack" while out of town Wednesday. She said he "went very quickly, very peacefully."
Bocage was an accomplished keyboardist-pianist with a career spanning more than five decades. Hamilton said he counted Professor Longhair as one of his biggest inspirations.
As we reported recently (TMT News), Dinosaur Jr. have signed to Jagjaguwar for their new LP. Details were scant at the time, but details ain't scant anymore. On June 23, Jagjaguwar will release Farm, the band's fifth LP with the original lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph. The album was produced by Mascis and recorded in his Bisquiteen studio in Amherst, MA.
Having just played some shows at SXSW (TMT Review), Dinosaur Jr. are set to embark on a month-long tour beginning next week. Sure, you could just wait for DJ fanatics to upload shitty videos to YouTube (and then watch a sexy Brad Pitt montage!!), but if you purchase tickets to these shows, you will also get either a digital download code or a tour-only 7-inch for "I Don't Wanna Go There" (b/w "Tarpit"). Hmmm: the 7-inch is made of petroleum, but the download code doesn't quite have the cool currency that vinyl does. ARGH! Life is so hard! I should just end it now.
Farm tracklisting:
1. Pieces 2. I Want You To Know 3. Ocean In The Way 4. Plans 5. Your Weather 6. Over It 7. Friends 8. Said The People 9. There’s No Here 10. See You 11. I Don’t Wanna Go There 12. Imagination Blind
Dinosaur Jr. tourdates: 04.01.09 - Milford, CT - Daniel Street 04.02.09 - Providence, RI - Club Hell 04.03.09 - Portland, ME - The Station 04.04.09 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground 04.06.09 - Buffalo, NY - The Town Ballroom 04.07.09 - State College, PA- Lulu's 04.08.09 - Akron, OH - Musica 04.09.09 - East Lansing, MI - The Small Planet 04.10.09 - Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Nightclub 04.11.09 - Dekalb, IL - Otto's Nightclub 04.13.09 - Chattanooga, TN - Rhythm and Brews 04.14.09 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall 04.15.09 - Baton Rouge, LA - The Varsity Theatre 04.16.09 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room 04.17.09 - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge 04.18.09 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's 04.20.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club 04.21.09 - Sky City - Augusta, GA 04.22.09 - Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds 04.23.09 - Tallahassee, FL - The Moon 04.24.09 - Jacksonville Beach, FL - Freebird Live 04.25.09 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm 04.26.09 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel 04.27.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle 04.29.09 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre 04.30.09 - Richmond, VA - Toad's Place Richmond 05.01.09 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club 05.02.09 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
