The News Review:
- N SALE THIS WEEK
- Madonna gives record companies the blues
- Dressed down in a funky kind of way
- Pop and Rock Listings
- The bluetongue blues
N SALE THIS WEEK
WFAA – Oct 12, 2007
28 at House of Blues’ Music Hall. n sale today at 10.
Madonna gives record companies the blues
The Independent – Independent – Oct 12, 2007
It appears that artists of all calibres are forsaking the traditional route to fame and fortune – making a hit record with a household-name label – in favour of giving music away and making money off the back of touring and T-shirts. Arguably it reflects the way that consumer attitudes have changed toward music over the past decade with today’s consumers happy to pay vast sums to see a band but unwilling to pay for songs they can download for free. Many of today’s music fans – and artists – hold a very dim view of the music majors arguing that they have charged too much for CDs for too long and that the dinosaurs of the industry – namely Universal Music EMI Warner Music and Sony BMG – were too slow to harness the power of the internet and the way the industry has changed. All of this paints a pretty grim picture for major music labels. David Pakman chief executive of eMusic which is the second-largest digital music service in the world behind iTunes said that the largest music companies have lost touch with the consumer particularly in the youth market where children can spend their money on video games or DVDs if CDs are too expensive. “Major labels have dropped hundreds of artists over the past 10 years to focus on superstars. They no longer develop artists over long periods of time.
Dressed down in a funky kind of way
Dallas Morning News – Oct 12, 2007
You never know when you might need to impress someone. It was simple to feel sorry for the overly casual at Thursday night’s House of Blues show with Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Robert Cray. This gig wasn’t a frat party and the House of Blues isn’t a Yale Boulevard watering hole. Particularly for Mr. Randolph – the New Jersey-bred church-trained pedal-steel wizard who’s almost singlehandedly brought the traditional country and bluegrass instrument into the mainstream – you gotta put your party duds on. And some smooth-soled dancing shoes. Because you will want to move… His equal-length set (both were 75 minutes) was long on poppiness and smoothness (though he only played one major hit “Strong Persuader”) with just the occasional flash of his brilliant solo angularity. People talked a bunch during his set and strangely that didn’t seem too far out of sorts. These two acts were the openers for Eric Clapton’s last two world tours and in classic Clapton-ian fashion they represent two opposing realms of blues music. Randolph hypes you up clutches you by the forearm leads you to the dance floor and demands that you get down. Cray charms you gently cradles your hand leads you to a corner table and chats with you about how you’re feeling about the world.
Pop and Rock Listings
New York Times – Oct 12, 2007
(Sisario)’EXPERIENCE HENDRIX’ (Wednesday) Well not exactly Hendrix but a blues-loving tribute to the 1960s. The band features the great blues guitarist and crowd-teaser Buddy Guy the rip-roaring gospel steel guitarist Robert Randolph and the blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd with appearances by the cutting Chicago blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin the guitarist Robby Kreiger from the Doors former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor and two former members of Hendrix trios Billy Cox (from Band of Gypsys) on bass and Mitch Mitchell (from the Experience) on drums. Wednesday is sold out; a second show has been added on ct… Lately his live shows have been like visits to some suave late-1950s lounge where historical eras dissolve. Bobby (Blue) Bland the longtime soul singer who’s opening the concerts should keep him on his toes; despite some gaps in his voice Mr. Bland can still ache and implore in ways that rival those of any singer alive.
The bluetongue blues
Creamer Media's Engineering News – Oct 12, 2007
So understanding the spread of bluetongue or preventing it is shaped by a north–south divide money inconclusive science environmental destruction and occasionally bad luck. Such a plot line is fitting for any gloomy blues tune. That said I must admit blues music cheers me up. I think this is because it alerts me to the fragility of our existence. Realising how flimsy life is in turn reminds me that I should use my time wisely. To this end I am becoming intolerant of media hype and public panic. I know bluetongue is serious but the more I listen to the news in Britain the more I think the media and perhaps some overly comfortable suburbanites long for the so-called good old days when diseases sounded really nasty like the Black Death or bovine spongiform encephalitis.