For all Electronic Music Fans...

I'll be hosting the Artists Feature this week on WVFS, Tallahassee.

In celebration of 20 years of 808 State there will be produced, recorded and remixed music spanning the full 20 years by the 808 crew. Released and unreleased material will be heard (including a song or two from their new album, "Quadrastate") and some interview bits will be aired as well. Please tune in and if you have any ideas for requests please get them in early (reply here or email me), I like to try and have as much as possible pre-planned for this type of show.



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Thanks for tuning in.

Time for some tunes...

Finishing up two different written pieces on Killing Joke and the latest Tonikom album out on Hymen (I think, I always mix-up Hymen and Ant Zen for some reason). Anyway, those will be posted soon with a few other short reviews of things like the new Boole release, DEATHKEY (as if there isn't enough out there about the DEATHKEY album) and maybe even the new Bauhaus.

But today I bring you new...FREE...music. Trent Reznor has ventured out on his own since leaving finishing his previous label contract. And Nine Inch Nails releases something "completely different." Titled Ghosts I-IV go to the nin.com site and you can download the first 9 tracks of the 36 track recording for free. OR you can pay $5 for the full 36 tracks download and a 40 page PDF about the recording. OR you can pay $10 and get the downloads and a 2CD recording send to your home with a 16-page booklet. OR you can go for the $75 version in a hardcover fabric slipcase which contains "2 audio CDs, 1 data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format, and a Blu-ray disc with Ghosts I-IV in high-definition 96/24 stereo and accompanying slideshow." OR, get this, you can order the $300 version which includes everything in the $75 version plus "an exclusive four-LP 180 gram vinyl set in a fabric slipcase, and two exclusive limited edition Giclee prints in a luxurious package. Limited to 2500 pieces, numbered and signed by Trent Reznor." I kid you not.

I'll be downloading a copy momentarily, of course.

The Greatest Music Collection(?) Needs A New Home!

Not sure what gives this guy the right to call his personal collection "The Greatest," as i'm sure it is smaller (and probably less grand, though I've seen neither) than the collection at the Library of Congress. Semantics aside, "the world's greatest music collection" is up for sale.

It was (and may still be) on eBay and only one bid of just over $28 million has come in (unfortunately, this bid fell through). The owner has estimated the collection at closer to $50 million, and with super rare albums (such as an "unreleased, untitled Rolling Stones album of early singles. Originally recorded in mono, the songs were remastered in stereo for FM radio stations in the early 1970s. Mawhinney estimates the album is worth between $5,000 and $10,000.") some say the estimate is pretty darn close.

If this thing were anywhere near N. Florida, I might make the trek just to say I got to see this massive collection. In stead i'll probably just be jealous of whoever buys it and figure out when I can visit the LoC collection at a much later date. (Some other D.C. visits are higher on the list, including Mt. Vernon and George Washington's whiskey distillery.)

Rhino is at it again... oh, and The Clash on PBS!

Not sure what to think about this. First Joy Division reissues, which I really want, and now The Replacements. Don't get me wrong, I love the new stuff that gets released...well, mostly. But, it's so difficult (on a budget) to go and re-purchase albums you already own. I still haven't caught up on The Cure re-issues with extra cds (and they also just put out a 2CD edition of "Blue Sunshine" by the Glove, with the second CD containing the album as it should have been released, with Mr. Smith doing the vocals). Anyway, here's the news about those Minneapolis Madmen, The 'Mats.
Side note: what's with the manager dealing with this, there are (important) band members still among the living...?!?


From CMJ.com: "The bulk of the Replacements' rudimentary material will receive a face-lift of sorts. On April 22, the Minneapolis-bred band's Twin/Tone catalog — including the 1981 debut Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash, the 1982 EP Stick, the 1983 sophomore disc Hootenanny and the quintessential 1984 release Let It Be — will be reissued in extended, remastered form by Rhino. As some of the original members have (sic) deceased, these larval releases were readied for restoration by the Replacements' manager Peter Jesperson. The partial-catalog reissue is only the beginning, as Rhino will press on, reissuing the Sire releases, which constitutes the latter half of the Replacements' expansive career."

Plus, there's going to be a new documentary about The Clash on PBS! The Clash Live: Revolution Rock will mainly be comprised of live footage that spans the band's entire career, and will include in-studio TV performances too. The movie will premier on PBS in March, which is good, because the constant reruns of those doo-wop reunion concerts were starting to piss us off. Check TheClashOnline.com for air dates, since PBS affiliates are allowed to shuffle their schedule (sadly no Tally-ho airing just yet). Or if you can, wait until the DVD is released April 15. It will include extras like the band's appearance on ABC's early '80s, ill-fated Saturday Night Live rip-off, Friday's (guess this will be my option).

It's all about the music...isn't it?

Finally getting around to checking out ALL the winners from this past weekend's Grammy Awards. Here's a few that i'm glad were winners...

Record Of The Year
Rehab
Amy Winehouse
Mark Ronson, producer; Tom Elmhirst, Vaughan Merrick, Dom Morley, Mark Ronson & Gabriel Roth, engineers/mixers
Track from: Back To Black
[Universal Republic Records]

Album Of The Year
River: The Joni Letters
Herbie Hancock
Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza & Tina Turner, featured artists; Herbie Hancock & Larry Klein, producers; Helik Hadar, engineer/mixer; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer
[Verve]

Song Of The Year
Rehab
Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Track from: Back To Black

Best New Artist
Amy Winehouse

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Rehab
Amy Winehouse
Track from: Back To Black

Best Pop Instrumental Album
* The Mix-Up
Beastie Boys
[Capitol Records]

Best Pop Vocal Album
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse

Best Electronic/Dance Album
We Are The Night
The Chemical Brothers
[Astralwerks]

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
Radio Nowhere
Bruce Springsteen
Track from: Magic
[Columbia]

Best Hard Rock Performance
The Pretender
Foo Fighters

Best Metal Performance
Final Six
Slayer
Track from: Christ Illusion

Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Once Upon A Time In The West
Bruce Springsteen
Track from: We All Love Ennio Morricone

Best Rock Song
Radio Nowhere
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
Track from: Magic

Best Rock Album
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Foo Fighters

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
No One
Alicia Keys

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Future Baby Mama
Prince
Track from: Planet Earth

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Daydreamin'
Lupe Fiasco Featuring Jill Scott
Track from: Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Lost Highway
Willie Nelson & Ray Price
Track from: Last Of The Breed

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
River: The Joni Letters
Herbie Hancock
[Verve]

Best Comedy Album
The Distant Future
Flight Of The Conchords
[Sub Pop]

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
What It Is!: Funky Soul And Rare Grooves (1967-1977)
Masaki Koike, art director (Various Artists)
[Rhino]

One question...
How did Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22 by R. Kelly get beat by Madonna's Confessions Tour for Best Long Form Video?

All Hallow's Eve

Tonight i'll be DJing (in a club) for the first time in a long while. And as it's Halloween, i'm that much more excited about it...NOT to mention DJ Brad Ashwell is on the bill as well (don't think i've DJed with him in over...wow, i'll just say in a very long time, it was the 90s, just won't mention what part of the 90s it was). Anyway, got my costume together, now I just need to put together some records (don't think the set-up at the Beta Bar is very CD friendly...unfortunately, too much new stuff to mention). I'm sure photos or at least a story or two will need to be posted late tonight or sometime this weekend. Me, DJ Brad Ashwell and someone by the name of DJ Miami...should be interesting.

Queen's May is a doctor of the stars...

So I mentioned this would be a good spot for music stuff...and here's my first mini-post with a tidbit of information for ya. Looks like Brian May has been quite busy...for more than 30 years actually. But he's finally finished his doctorate in astrophysics. Just check out this little story about the endeavor.

Evidently he's already co-authored a book about the history of the universe, it's called "Bang" so i'm guessing he's not siding with any creationists. And his thesis was rather weighty as well, "a 48,000 word study which seeks to prove planets and dust clouds in our solar system orbit in the same direction."

Somewhat entertaining news, but it just makes me wish I had A Night at the Opera with me at work today.

on the air...

So, yeah, as mentioned earlier, I do a little radio show. It's on a college station (WVFS, the "Voice" of Florida State) and airs from 10p - 2a (EST) every Thursday evening...which is tonight...now. It's called Club Convergence and it's all electronic music...of many different genres.

Tonight I was reminded once again of how long i've been doing this. I started at the station almost right out of high school...and early on I knew I wanted to do this little show. Watched two other "elder" djs host the show during my first years at the station and was finally given control around 1992...yes, that's what I said, 1992. Which means i've basically been the show's host for the better part of 15 years (minus a short break I took in the late 90s...but we don't have to discuss that do we? Even though I just did...) Well after a short break from the show the station manager asked me to come back, without my prompting even, after two other replacements didn't work out so well).

Anyway...that was a long ramble for me to basically just put in a short plug for my little radio show. Check out the site I posted for it on Multiply.com. I've recorded shows, posted playlists and eventually i'll post a few more album and/or show reviews...seein' as the one's i posted are from last year. Stay tuned and enjoy.

Intro to make ya head grow...

So, I'm at it again. My friend Zil has re-introduced me to blogger.com and i've decided to try and take full advantage of this thing. I started off with a livejournal and either got bored with it, fell into what seems to be rather common pitfalls or just gave up due to everything else in life distracting me.
Now I've got a few deadlines breathing down my neck, a renewed interest in my radio show and several reasons to try and conquer, get past or just learn from these other "life distractions" and maybe this little thingamabob can help me out. (I can't believe "thingamabob" didn't trip the "auto spell check.")
The deadline is for an interview and hopefully a couple album reviews for a new music/"culture" website and print magazine I just started working for (well, these will be my first contributions, I don't even feel comfortable saying I work for them just yet, but let's move on). Actually, though I haven't submitted anything yet, I have done a fair amount of work for SideLine magazine and was given a fine letter of recommendation from Caustic Mattie, I think I'll be ok, but I'm not going to promote it completely until I get something published.
So...I guess this will become my new (and probably alter ego) music blog...that or I'll just end up posting a lot of the same stuff on both...until I get comfortable with blogger.com. Do you subscribe to blogs on here? How do I browse my "friends' blogs?" How do I find my friends' blogs? or anyone I know is on here but that I don't know their email or their blog title (I'm pretty sure Justin K Broadrick is on here...or he was)?