The News Release 02.04.03

Belated (because I forgot last week) note to Modzelewski: What other “corporate” bands allow fans to bring in almost any recording gear that they want in order to tape personal copies of shows? I don’t know of any. Metallica allows taping and personal trading of shows… and they’ve become, possibly, the most corporate band in the history of music. In fact, I believe even Lars Ulrich (the most corporate MAN in the history of music), during an interview on slashdot back in May of 2000 said ”Well, 1st of all, you have to remember that you’re talking to somebody who advocates bootlegging, who has alwyas been pro-bootlegging. We have always let fans tape our shows, we’ve always had a thing for bootlegging live materials, for special appearances, for that type of stuff. Knock yourselves out, bootleg the f*ck out of it, we don’t give. If Metallica allows taping… there is your other corporate band… your other REALLY corporate band… your band so corporate it counts as at leas FOUR corporate bands.

Condolences to the families of the astronauts who were lost on Saturday morning. The backlash from it is already beginning, as reports are coming out about the dismissal of people who warned about the safety of program. Also about the age of Columbia, and the like. Unfortunately, a tragedy can never pass silently without a bunch of political fingerpointing and whatnot. Not for a minute do I believe this will shut down the space program, but it might institute a Challenger-esqe delay of a year or so pending safety investigations on the rest of the shuttles.

And with no other writers on the music zone to goof on… I’ll make fun of the Comics Zone. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, GEEKS!!! WHO STILL READS COMICS???

Long Tongue Records

Gene Simmons has officially relaunched Simmons Records, last active in the 80s. The old impression existed through RCA/BMG recording, and Simmons has a new venture partner, to be announced soon. Gene has posted on His Website that he is actively searching for local talent… and asks readers of his site to send some tapes. The man himself says:

“If you know of local talent in your area and want me to hear it, send me stuff to:

“POP – I’m looking for talent in their teens or early twenties. You don’t have to write songs. But, you better have the talent. It can be almost anything.

Be hot, be kind of able to sing, everything else is negotiable. Gene may be a rock God, but he knows that even shit sells in the right package.

“ROCK – If you’re the coolest local band in your area, but you think you’ve got SOMETHING DIFFERENT, send me your stuff. You should be able to write songs.

You fellas are going to be my boys… but don’t send me ANY MORE FUCKING NUMETAL OR RAPCORE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!

“RAP – Sure. But, don’t send me the usual ‘MC Criminal’ routine. Give me something different.

Here, Gene cleverly allows people to send him rap, while smoothly disqualifying everything that today’s unsigned rap community has to offer. “What ‘dat whitebread sucka mean I cain’t rap ‘bout killin niggas? What da f*ck else left? Is bitches and hoes still aight?” Bravo, Gene.

“COUNTRY? – Probably not straight country. But, if you’re Shania in her teens, send me your stuff.

Well, I hate country… but Gene is basically sayin if you’ll ride the God’s Tongue, he’ll be willing to think about it. Hot Chick country sells. If anything, the man ain’t dumb.

“I know there is talent out there that can’t be put into a genre — I’m looking for you. If you’re the next MOBY or PRINCE…send me your stuff.

For f*ck’s sake… GIVE ME SOMETHING NEW. I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE. SOMEWHERE OUT THERE.

If Gene really goes for broke and doesn’t sign only the children of his hairdresser of face paint manufacturer, he’ll be one step up on the rest of the labels out there.

Lost Fan

According to BBC news, Guns and Roses have made an appeal for both of their remaining fans to help find a Welsh fan who may be lost in the US to get in touch with her family.

Apparently Kirsty Omerand from Newport, Wales had traveled to the states in November to see GNR in Chicago… luckily getting in BEFORE Axl broke down and cancelled the tour. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been heard from since early December after the cancellation of the US tour. A spokesman for GNR asked Kirsty to please get in touch with someone. Apparently she traveled alone, to Chigago, to see the 11/16 show in the Allstate Arena with plans to be in the States for a few days and fly home. And we’re JUST hearing about something wrong three months later?

My guess… One of four options. One, they enshrined her in the Smithsonian as the last remaining GNR fan. Two, she was stupid enough to go to Chicago alone and she ended up as a statistic. Three, Eric S’s underlings packed her in their latest shipment of Whopper Meat. Or four, lookining at her Picture from BBC.uk, she was mistaken for a Hanson brother and sucked into the band for the group’s upcoming release.

Let this be a lesson to all would be concert goers from other countries. Big city streets in the US aren’t safe. They eat people… especially 17-year old girls who travel by themselves. If you’re going to travel here, do it with a group… especially in the cities. Christ, I was lost in Uptown Manhattan with FOUR GUYS in my car and I thought we were going to end up dead. If I was a girl an, I very possibly would have just shut the car off, pulled to the side, and waited to die.

If you have any info on this girl, get a hold of someone. She’s described as Welsh and very similar in looks to a Hanson brother.

The Book thing is getting out of hand

The ex-lead singer of RATT, Stephen Pearcy, is working on RaTales, the definitive biography of the inner turmoil of Ratt.

I don’t know what’s worst, the fact that HE thinks anyone cares… or the fact a book publisher somewhere thought that someone cares. I mean, musicians are notorious for exaggerating their own importance… but publishers are supposed to filter crap.

Anyway, the following quotes from Pearcy sum it up, thanks to Rock Confidential.

Even some members of the original RATT were saying things that were out of context, not true, or a stretch on the truth. This is rock ‘n’ roll. You don’t have to be truthful in rock ‘n’ roll, but the truth will come out. Not in a vicious way, but I’ve decided to let people know what’s going on.

At least, we’ll all now know his version of the truth.

I read liner notes. My guitar player, Robbin Crosby, died. Somebody puts out a record, slaps it together, I get it and the liner notes are wrong. The song credits are wrong. I’m thinking, ‘This guy passes on and this gets thrown out with no consultation with the band. They don’t even ask the band if we have any special material that we can actually respect this person with.’ I’m really gonna dig into it. I’m going to tell people the truth.

People in RATT died? I’ll be damned. I thought if a member of a modestly talented band died, they were supposed to be put up on Pillars as the spokesperson for a generation.

Two years ago I got an injury and decided, ‘Hey, this band that we had together that’s been out of the picture needs to take a break.’

No shit, they’ve only been on a break for two years?

He goes on to mention RATT’s current legal woes… which revolve around them ditching him for a new singer and whatnot. I’m not going to comment much more on it because I don’t know all the details. But, if they booted him from the band, I’m gonna guess you’re not going to really get a fair representation of the band as a whole… Instead, you’re going to get an “I’m the one who got f*cked here” spin of the story.

The Offical Band of the Bubblegum Complex

Tatu’s debut single All the Things She Said has claimed the Number One spot on Switzerland, Italy, and Spain to join the spot it already had as Number On on the Offical UK charts. The video, which I’m pretty sure you won’t be seeing on MTV anytime soon, shows the two singers, Julia Volkova and Lena Katina wearing schoolgirl uniforms and kissing and cuddling.

You know, in one sense, it’s cool and all that they want to be an openly gay group and all… of course, I don’t buy the lesbo act anymore than I buy Christina’s porn gimmick or Avril’s skater gimmick… but this video was just blatantly shot to garner shock press, much like another super-successful singer named Marshall.

The video is getting slammed in the British media. Child protection charity Kidscape has accused the pair of targeting the “dirty old man market.” But, in all honesty, it’s targeting the dirty young man market two. British daytime television hosts Richard and Judy have called it pedophile porn and called for the banning of the video. While I don’t necessarily agree that the video in itself is kiddie porn, the girls ARE younger than 18, and if this WASN’T created as a music video, and you found it stashed on someone’s computer, it probably could get them arrested on kiddie porn charges.

It doesn’t get any better, in an interview, the man behind Tatu (no pun intended), Ivan Shapovalov admitted he came up with the idea (whether it be for the group or the video, he didn’t say) after visiting porno sites.

I’m sure gay groups will say it’s no different than seeing a man and a woman kiss on television… but it is. The only reason they’ve gotten as far as they have, is basically because lesbianism, for some reason, is more socially acceptable then man-lovin. Like it or not, folks, the world isn’t ready for this… and homosexuals are one minority that may never get social acceptance… at least not in our lifetime.

As for my own opinion… be gay. Be as gay as you want to be. Find a life partner and be happy… because it’s your life, live it up. Just don’t expect the rest of the world to be happy to have it crammed down their throats or to accept it as normal, because they never will.

As for Tatu, the media will catch them with boys sooner or later… because, like I said, the music industry is faker than wrestling. I’m willing to bet the farm (If I owned one) that these yaks are no more gay than Billy and Chuck.

But who doesn’t want to live forever

Martin Bashir, a journalist who was recently granted unfettered access to Michael Jackson, had officially declared Michael Jackson a disturbing human being obsessed with living forever and eternal childhood.

Bashir, in an interview over the weekend gave out small spoilers about the film, but the meat of the secrets are being held over until the official first screening of the documentary on Monday.

His ranch is populated with more statues of Peter Pan than people, said the writer. Jackson is obsessed with the notion of frozen childhood. During the interview, he painted the picture of a superstar who never had a childhood, as he’d been receive $200,000 royalty checks since then.

Jackson gave an interview where nothing was off limits, including his childhood where he told Bashir that his father Joe used to force them to practice their dancing with a belt in hand, waiting for them to screw up. But Jackson, in usual form, refused to answer any questions about any plastic surgery he has received… only responding with Oh please, that’s stupid. Yeah, like there’s any person on the face of the planet who thinks Michael Jackson hasn’t had any reconstructive surgery… however, when pressed, Jacksond did admit that he doesn’t want to be buried and would prefer to live forever.

Jackson also has plans to re-release Thriller, his most successful album ever, and has talked about filming the video for it over again.

I implore, for the love of all that is decent and holy… DON’T re-film Thriller. I mean, it’d be scary… but it’d be scary in a whooooolllle different vein than the original video.

If anything, this documentary will be worth a watch, just to get a behind closed doors look at one of the biggest freaks in the world today.

Decision Appealed

Surprising no one, Verizon Communications has filed a stay order and an appeal of the ruling handed down a couple of weeks ago forcing them to comply with a subpeona to hand over private information about a customer to the recording industry. Verizon, and several privacy groups, claimed the court ruling could open the floodgates for all sorts of legitmate, and illegitamate groups to subpeona information about currently anonymous web surfers.

The real police have to meet a standard of evidence in front of a judge before they can proceed,” said Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America director of research. “The Internet KGB does not have to do that — they simply have to get a piece of paper and come knocking on my door.”

For those just catching up, the case stems from a subpeona issued on behalf of the RIAA demanding the identity of a Verizon customer who they believe is swapping copyrighted music in large volumes. Last week, DC Judge John Bates ruled the subpoena was enforcable under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act.

In the asshole RIAA member of the week statement, RIAA VP of Legal Matters Matthew Oppenheim said: It’s a shame that Verizon has resorted to mischaracterizations and consumer scare tactics, a trait we understand they are well known for in public policy debates

Mischaracterizations and consumer scare tactics? Is he f*cking kidding. They specifically want personal information about an anonymous web surfer… for the SPECIFIC reason of suing him. Scare tactic? Scare tactics is threating multi-million dollar lawsuits against people who may make $30,000/year by a multi-billion dollar corporation.

The decision, if it survives appeal, would set precedent for the RIAA to seek subpoenas to obtain personal info on any Net customers who they think might be violating a copyright and use that info to sue the user of file-swapping technology. While the RIAA hasn’t specifically said it would follow this avenue… I can’t see any other reason for it.

Verizon VP and counsel John Thorne said the ruling could have consquences far beyond what the recording industry had in mind. Basically, a precedent set in this case would free the way for anyone to get personal information about any net user. This problem is far bigger than just copyright theft. Strangers, stalkers, pollsters, telemarketers … now have an automatic mechanism to find out exactly who you are and where you live.

He’s not just whistling dixie here, people. Just imagine… privacy will shoot out the window if this ruling is upheld. People will be able to find out where you are, what you’re doing, and what you’re looking at in your free time. Do YOU want perspective employers to be able to peep the kind of porn you look at in your off time? I certainly don’t. First, because my porn is my business… and second, it ain’t none of theirs.

He also cited the mistakes that can be made, recalling an infamous case in which a private search firm working for AOL Time Warner erroneously sent a letter threatening to shut down the Web access of a girl who had a file on her computer labeled “Harry Potter” — which turned out to be a school book report. This is what’s waiting for us, dear readers. Do you want the recording industry controlling your privacy? I certainly don’t.

Don’t Goof On Ghandi

MTV’s new animated series Clone High, USA came under the fire of Indian officials this week who were offended by the toon version of Ghandi who has an affinity for dangly earrings, rap music, junk food, and being the ultimate party animal.

…

I knew MTV was a haven for stupid shows, but come the f*ck on. This even surpasses their Idea of stupid.

Let’s look at the breakdown, according to Yahoo Music.

Among the classmates: a goateed Abe Lincoln (a dishwasher at TGI Chili’s at the local mall), preppy jock JFK (with an affinity for “boob-related puns”), a prim Joan of Arc (leader of the atheist club who also hates fire), former student body president Cleopatra (who hooked up with JFK in the back of his van), along with Catherine the Great, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, “GW” Carver, Nostradamus and Vincent Van Gogh. There’s also a Moses (who looks uncannily like Charlton Heston (news)), a Latino Jesus Christ and Buddha (who apparently has a thing for boy bands).

Were they trying to offend people? Yeah, let’s goof on religious figures… who’s supporters are only the most violent and thoroughly obsessed people in history. I’m sure the Catholic Church will hav eno problems with a teenage version of Christ who likes to drink and pop virgins… or a teenage Buddha who likes tapping into mom and dad’s supply of, well, Buddha. This is a shock show with a see-through veil of “social commentary,” by picking people who either committed suicide, got killed, or died in a particularly nasty way. Yeah, good job you stupid bastards. I hope at least 15 people lose their job for this show.

I expect this show to cause more stir than Jackass, and to be cancelled faster… hopefully someone will blow up MTV studios while they’re at it.. [411 or Daniels does not support the bombing of MTV studios… at least not when Dave Holmes is in the building – ed.]

For a quick look at who will be offended, Click Here for the Clone High Yearbook. See which one offends you!

CD Announcements

Godsmack have set the tentative track listing for their third album, Faceless, due on April 8 through Republic/Universal Records. I Finally got to hear the whole pre-release single… Straight Out of Line. Last week I said I wasn’t terribly impressed, and I’m still not… but it’s good. I don’t want y’all to think it sucks or anything. It’s a decent song, but it doesn’t have the “Fuck yeah, I’ma buy this shizzit” vibe that Awake or Go Away had. I’m sure I’ll still pick up the album, as I love the band… but I might wait to hear some more tracks.

Ye-hah, KaZaa

Also, Live is putting the finishing touches on its sixth album and plotting a May or June release through MCA. Ed Kowalczyk says: “It’s back to basics for Live. There’s no keyboards. It’s really back to rock and roll, man.”. Fuckin finally. I’m glad they’ve sown their keyboard oats and are ready to put out some rock again. Maybe Pearl Jam might think about it sometime, too. The tracklist, according to Eddie K includes:

“Run Away”

“Heaven”

“Life Marches On”

“River Run”

“Lighthouse”

“Like I Do”

“She”

“Everytime I See Your Face”

“Everyday Lady”

This is the first Live album in a while that I haven’t heard of any of the songs on the album. It won’t matter, as I’ve loved every Live album and will buy it blind if I don’t hear a release single.

After wrapping up work on the new disc, the York, Pa.-bred band will road test material with a short set of East Coast dates in March. Live is also planning an extensive North American tour this summer.

March Dates.

March 22: Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios Mardi Gras)

March 26: Plainview, N.Y. (Vanderbilt)

March 27: Lincroft, N.J. (Brookdale Community College)

March 29: Ithaca, N.Y. (Ithaca College)

Now I have to decide if three hours to Ithaca is too far to drive… I don’t think it will be.

Powerman 5000 have set Transform as the title for their recently-completed new studio album, due on May 20 through Dreamworks Records. The first single is scheduled to hit radio sometime in March. According to frontman Spider One, the CD will contain 12 brand new tracks and will include no reworked material from the scrapped Anyone For Doomsday? sessions. A pre-release tour is currently being planned, the details of which are expected to be announced soon.

Transform, which marks the recording debut with the group of new bassist Siggy Sjursen and drummer Adrian Ost, is said to feature a more melodic and experimental direction for the group, who took advantage of the extra time during pre-production to expand their musical horizons.

The energy between me, [guitarist] M.33, [guitarist] Adam12 and [drummer] AD7 is undeniable, so expect a less programmed, more ‘live’ sound. My vocals are more catchy and melodic —— I’m singing much more than I ever have, which is cool. I’ve had a lot of shit on my mind these last few months, and it’s all coming out in my lyrics.”

Yeesh, talk about blowing yourself. Hey, S1, you’re Rob Zombie’s Brother. It’s the only reason you have a band, a contract, or a job. PM5K sounds like every other NuMetal band out there. In fact, if I had PM5K in one player and Union Underground in another… I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Powerman 5000 were scheduled to drop Anyone For Doomsday, their projected follow-up to Tonight, The Stars Revolt on Aug. 28, 2001, but just two weeks before the release date, the band announced they were heading back into the studio to record new songs for the album. The group’s scheduled headlining tour was cancelled, and the album release was postponed indefinitely. This would be the moment when their label should have decided that they were prima donnas and weren’t worth the effort.

UNLESS, it was as bad as Korn’s Life is Peachy LP, in which case I commend them for having the balls to be like “You know what, this really sucks and we’re not unleashing it on the public.”

Released this week

The Daredevil Soundtrack – checked out Fuel’s contribution to it Won’t Back Down. They have a 36-second audio clip… OR you can just download the whole video and hear the whole song. As opposed to the Godsmack promo song, THIS song is good… really good. The soundtrack is a 20-track disc and if half the songs are as good as this, it’s worth the buy. Full track list:

1. Won’t Back Down – Fuel

2. For You – The Calling

3. Bleed For Me – Saliva

4. Hang On – Seether

5. Learn the Hard Way – Nickelback

6. The Man Without Fear – Drowning Pool feat. Rob Zombie

7. Right Now – Nappy Roots feat. Marcos Curiel of P.O.D.

8. Evening Rain – Moby

9. Bring Me To Life – Evanescence

10. Until You’re Reformed – Chevelle

11. Right Before Your Eyes – Hoobastank

12. Fade Out/In – Palo Alto

13. Caught In The Rain – Revis

14. High Wire Escape Artist – BOYSETSFIRE

15. Raise Your Rifles – Autopilot Off

16. Daredevil Theme (Blind Justice Remix) – Graeme Revell and Mike Einziger

17. My Immortal – Evanescence

18. Sad Exchange – finger eleven

19. Simple Lies – Endo

20. Let Go – 12 Stones

Once again, I ask any readers if they have a copy of the pre-Sunburn indy release from Fuel. If you do, I’d like to buy it or a copy of it… or just e-mail me for a file transfer.

Tour News

Trust Company and Zwan are touring, but not together… for dates, Click Here.

Linkin Park DJ Joe Hahn suggested a summer tour with Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and Metallica. He told Launch: Once we hit the summer we’re going to do a stadium tour with Metallica and Limp Bizkit. We’re excited about [doing] all those [different kinds of] shows because there’s different levels of intimacy. You know, the smaller ones being more intimate, but when you get the bigger shows it gets crazier so, it’s a trade-off.

Man, what a difference three years makes. Three years ago (had Linkin Park existed), I would have creamed myself over this concert. Now… Metallica has permantly lost me as a fan over the Napster debacle and Limp Bizkit went soft and gay on Chocolate Starfish. In 1999, I paid $50 to see Metallica and Corrosion of Conformity and it was a great show. Now, three bands I should like, but I wouldn’t pay $5.00 for it… unless I could specify for my money to ONLY go to Linkin Park.

Update

I finished this column a few hours ago, but since it has come to light that Phil Spector, legendary producer who has worked with the Beatles and Tina Turner and made the idea of a “Wall of Sound” famous, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder.

Police were called to Specter’s home around 5 AM Monday morning by neighbors reporting sounds of gunfire. When they arrived, they found the body of a girl shot to death on his floor. By Monday evening, they had charged him with first degree murder and were holding him on $1 million bail. Robert Shapiro, member of the OJ Simpson Dream Team, has been retained as Mr Specter’s counsel.

Watch 411music for developments on this story as they arise.

In Other Reading

Aaron Cameron with a Ja Rule review. I haven’t heard the album, but I’m sure he says “MUURRRRDAAAA” on it at least six times.

Matt Jones, on the other side of the spectrum with the Kristy Krash Majors.

Marshall with a fan’s perspective of Eminem.

Cody the one and only.

And that’ll do it with pimps.

I’m off to help Widro take over the world.

That’ll do it for this week. Watch next week for Daniels’s Super Cool Grammy preview… only available RIGHT HERE AT 411 MUSIC. See what singers are going to get awards they don’t deserve for songs they didn’t write before the envelopes are even opened. Is he psychic, or just cynical? Tune in next week.

I’m Daniels and this was the News Release.