G.O.O.D. MUSIC TO RELEASE FIRST INDEPENDENT ALBUM G.O.O.D. MORNING, G.O.O.D. NIGHT EXCLUSIVELY

Download the First Single "Magic Man" ft. Kanye West, Common, John Legend & Malik Yusef

G.O.O.D. MUSIC TO RELEASE FIRST INDEPENDENT ALBUM G.O.O.D. MORNING, G.O.O.D. NIGHT EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH 101 DISTRIBUTION

Kanye West is one of the most innovative and influential artists walking God’s green earth today. Within the past five years, the Chicago icon has released three full-length albums, moved over 13 million units worldwide and won ten Grammy Awards. That is simply astonishing and the Louis Vuitton Don is just getting started.

Now he is on the verge of releasing the FIRST and ONLY independent album from his G.O.O.D. Music label to date as he and Malik Yusef present G.O.O.D. Morning & G.O.O.D. Night, which is available exclusively through 101 Distribution, releasing worldwide May 26^th, 2009.

With Mr. West serving as the executive producer of Yusef’s sophomore set, G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night is two-disc collection consisting of 30 emotional tracks with each song representing a distinctive 48-minute time period of the day.

“We talk about the circular aspect of life and how things are 360. The morning and night represents one full day cycle,” Yusef explains. “G.O.O.D. Morning shows the more light aspect and G.O.O.D. Night represents the more sullen aspect of life.”

“Magic Man” featuring Common, John Legend and Kanye West will serve as the leadoff single, and the album will feature collaborations with the finest recording artists in the music industry today including Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Cassidy, Carl Thomas, Jadakiss, Jennifer Hudson, KRS-One, Paul Wall, Twista and many more.

Malik Yusef, an accomplished Emmy, Grammy and Peabody award-winning poet, received acclaim within the music industry when he released his debut album The Greatest Chicago Fire – Cold Day In Hell back in 2003. He has also appeared on Russell Simmon’s Def Poetry Jam.

With the release of G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night, Yusef is now only inches away from achieving his primary goal. “I just want to sneak my way into the soul of people and [I want] people to allow me to be apart of their lives,” he says. “I’m just asking permission into their existence, and [I’m using] the music as that vehicle.”

G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night will be available at Best Buy, Target, iTunes on May 26^th, 2009.

For more information or to pre-order G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night, visit www.101d.com.

About 101 Distribution: 101 Distribution (Phoenix, Arizona) began shipping music and video titles to independent and commercial retail stores in November of 2001. Today, 101 Distribution manages the digital, mobile, retail and mail order sales for more than 2,000 touring artists and record labels worldwide. The company operates as the only distributor that offers artists a 100% payout for all net sales royalties in exchange for a flat monthly fee. 101 Distribution catalog titles can be found in 5,500 retail stores throughout the US, Canada and 8 major foreign territories as well as dozens of legal download and subscription sites.

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Rebel of the Music Industry

"Legendary record man, "Swervin'" Irving Azoff, once managed the mega-group the Eagles. During a tour at the height of their career, one California hotel was unable to provide adjoining suites for the "Hotel California" songwriters. Swervin' Irving drove to a hardware store, purchased a chainsaw, went to the hotel, and turned two seperate rooms into one suite by sawing down the wall between.

Being prudent and realizing that he would not be able to be there whenever the Eagles needed on-site remodeling, he had a carrying case made for the saw so that the group could take it on the tour with them.

Now that's hands-on management."

-Moses Avalon

Mill Avenue To Revive Its Performance Roots

The Tempe City Council plans to revive Mill Avenue’s entertainment-based history with a series of new events and venues that were described in Thursday’s meeting.
Nancy Hormann plans to begin “Music On Mill” every Thursday night with local musicians, street performers and a series of contests. “Everything will be highly visible to the public and they won’t have to seek performers,” Hormann said.
Music On Mill will have no admission fees and doesn’t require permits, only areas with accessible power outlets. Concerns of performing on private property were voiced to which Hormann replied, “we don’t need permits to do what everyone else is already doing.”
The Old Harkins Theater on Mill will be transformed into the Mill Avenue District Community Arts Project Theater. The MADCAP is said to include a dinner theater, live music, independent film screenings, meeting space and even an Arizona State University classroom location.
“Performers at the MADCAP will be available at a low admission price, and a percentage of ticket sales will be used to promote the theater,” Hermann said. “The only big cost will be electricity to run the theaters.”
In the past, Mill Avenue has gained negative press for empty storefronts. Many even blamed the downfall of Borders Bookstore on the minimal street traffic Mill was receiving.
A committee member commented that although Borders were going out of business all over the country, it was interesting to note that the one on Mill Avenue’s collapse was solely the street’s fault.
Hermann has created a contest to start this June for the best retail storefront. The winner will receive one-year free rent. This is to create interest in the retailers downtown.
Ideas are beginning to be sent in for the best design on an electrical box contest as well. The most creative submission will get the opportunity to paint an electrical box on Mill Avenue with their design.

Where Are the Wild Things?

Spike Jonze's three-year deep project, Where The Wild Things Are, has finally been previewed to eager fans of the popular 1963 children's story.
The movie has been labeled 'in production' since 2005 after Warner Brothers Pictures allegedly requested several modifications within the screenplay, citing some material as "too creepy." Clips of the film circulating the web generally support Jonze's creative gamble at a rendition while many critics still remain unconvinced.
The trailer released last week depicts an eye-popping representation of the book set to The Arcade Fire's "Wake Up." Viewers are caught up in the climactic track and visually stunning cinematography while failing to notice the lack of dialogue.
Where The Wild Things Are is an easy 30-page read, full of massive illustration and scare text. Can we expect the movie to be similar?
Clearly, the storyline had to be expanded and inflated to fill the average length of a film. Can fans trust Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers to deliver a satisfying description that doesn't stray far from the book's theme?
Critics have immediately flocked to the use of costumes for the wild things. Many believe that the muppet-like costumes rob the film of imagination or creativity contained in the book. The use of actors in costumes could be seen as am mature or groundbreaking, depending on who you ask.
While the focus still remains on the film itself, many have expressed concern in the use of an indie band's work to advertise a major motion picture. In the past, many independent artists have gained commercial success from their song making its way onto a movie soundtrack. Take for example The Moldy Peaches "Anyone Else But You." After the song's appearance in Juno, it progressively made it's way to the number on spot on iTunes after previously being unranked.
Are people being music snobs? Maybe. A friend of mine from my news writing class offered a highly sensible perspective. "When I hear artists that haven't gone mainstream yet I get a bit...protective," she explained. "I don't like paying for expensive concert tickets and prefer a more intimate and personal setting to enjoy my favorite bands."
This makes sense to me. Less personable areas don't exactly appeal and neither do tickets that cost more than a month's rent. In the case of Arcade Fire however, the band has already gained success and even a Grammy nomination for Funeral in 2005.
I personally think the song is a fantastic choice to lead viewers into the theater. I found out that oddly enough, Karen-O, lead singer of The Yeah Yeah Yeah's, is an ex-girlfriend of Spike Jonze. She was selected by him to score the movie single-handedly. The soundtrack has been reported to include songs written by her as well.

Do you think the movie will live up the hype? Watch the trailer here.
Stay tuned until Where The Wild Things Are is released in theaters on October 16, 2009.

DJ CHUCK T: The Spokesperson Of Hip-Hop

By Bear Frazer

While most deejays have a team behind them to push on a project, DJ Chuck T prefers to be a one man gang. Though the 26-year-old is widely considered one of the top mixtape deejays in hip-hop, thanks in part to his highly successful series Down South Slangin', he possesses a "do-it-yourself" mentality that has earned him more success than most in the business.

"I'm not a man. I'm a machine," he says with a laugh. "I personally mix, burn, assemble, box, and ship over 5,000 CDs a week all by myself. I have some help here and there from family and close friends, but that's only when I drop big CDs and I know I can't do all of that alone."

Originally, the machine, more commonly known by his tag "The Carolina King," didn't start out as a mixtape deejay. Chuck T started as a rapper who went on to release an album in 2001 and was a heartbeat away from signing with Sony before the situation turned sour. Soon thereafter, the Charleston, South Carolina native decided to try his hand at deejaying.

So far, the results have been staggering. Although the Carolinas have been an untapped market for talent, Chuck T developed a reputation for upping the careers of local artists with his mixtapes and even went outside his region to recruit some rap heavyweights for his Down South Slangin' series.

"Just 4 years ago, I was burning CDs on my mom's computer and cutting out paper CD covers with scissors," he says. "Now, I'm one of the top DJs in the world! Just thinking about it gives me chills!"

With a solid reputation and mixtape brand in his back pocket, Chuck T will not attempt to put the Carolinas on top. In this 101D.com exclusive, the 26-year-old talks about the future and the chilling career he built from the ground up.

101D.com: Mr. Chuck T ... when did you initially get involved in Hip-Hop?

Chuck T: It's hard to pinpoint exactly when I became involved in Hip-Hop because it's been apart of my life since birth. I remember my older brothers and I would pretend we were a rap group and my oldest brother would be the rapper, my middle brother would be the DJ, and they'd make me play with the Equalizer because there wasn't any other job for me (laughs).

101D.com: But didn't you start out rapping before becoming a DJ?

Chuck T: Mane, of course I started out rapping. I think pretty much everyone involved in Hip-Hop has at least experimented with rapping at one point in time. I was actually pretty successful too. I had an album come out in 2001 and was in the process of signing to Sony when things fell apart with the label I was signed to. That pretty much ended my thoughts of being a rapper. The grind is long, hard, and you have to invest a ton of money before you see a return. Then even after you drop an album, you may not see a return on your investment because the industry is so fickle. I decided to become a DJ after I saw that there was a need for people in that profession who actually gave a damn about the music they played and the people they supported. DJs are the gatekeepers of the music industry. Whoever we let into that gate automatically becomes the spokesperson for the Hip-Hop culture as a whole. If we let in wack artists, then people are going to run around and say Hip-Hop is dead. But if we let good quality artists in, then we'll continue to be the #1 selling genre of music. The fate of the Hip-Hop industry lies in us. I had to step in and protect that.

101D.com: So what was it like developing your name within the southeast region?

Chuck T: It was very hard. Being here in the Carolinas is like a gift and a curse. I didn't really have any real competition when I started out, but I'm also in a market that the music industry isn't really concerned about. It was hard to get music from labels and artists. It was even harder to get my CDs in stores because the storeowner and the public in general didn't understand the concept of the mixtape. I had to educate people in order to sell CDs. Once I got my area on lock it was still kind of hard to convince people from bigger cities that a mixtape DJ from South Carolina could compete. It's been a long, hard road, but I'm definitely living off the fruits of my labor now. I'm doing very well for myself.

101D.com: How were you able to get artists to jump on your mixtapes?

Chuck T: Publicity - that's the most important thing! I took advantage of every opportunity to get an interview and get in front of a camera that came my way. Nobody will ever buy your stuff if they don't know you exist. I had to make sure people knew who I was, what I looked like and what my product sounded like.

101D.com: Obviously, your most successful series is Down South Slangin'. We distribute the one you did with Jeezy. Anyways, when did you conceive the idea for this series and what was the mindset behind it?

Chuck T: When I first started doing CDs, the name of my series was "Ghetto Gangstas." From there, I changed it to "Shut the Club Down." Once I really started learning how to DJ, I wanted something to signify the fact that I was no longer a kid who just slapped some songs together on a CD and I decided I'd change the name. My favorite song is an old Fiend (from No Limit Records) track featuring Master P and UGK entitled "Hustlin'." There's a part in the chorus where Fiend says, "We're Down South Slangin'/Rollin' With These Hustlers/Trying Ta Get Rid Of All You Haters And You Bustas." I basically took my title from that and the rest is history!

101D.com: Back a couple of years ago, it seemed like a mixtape was truly something special as DJs used it not only to develop their name, but to break new artists. Nowadays, that doesn't happen as much. I'm sure you've been asked this quite a lot, but what's your take on the whole mixtape game right now?

Chuck T: I feel like the real DJs still make mixtapes that live up to the original purpose of what a mixtape is. It's the new and uneducated DJs that have pretty much messed things up. But the older DJs are to blame for that because they'd rather bash the younger generation than teach them. These younger DJs have no idea how to break records or set trends. They only know how to play what hot. That's why if you go to a mixtape website or store, you'll see 90% of the CDs have the same songs or concept. We – the DJs – are the reason why the hip-hop industry is in a slump right now. We've let people in suits and ties who know nothing about our culture come in an take over and dictate what's hot and what's not. If we don't do something quick then the outlook for hip-hop isn't that bright.

101D.com: So do these newer DJs bother you?

Chuck T: It used to, but as of right now I don't let it bother me. I'm so focused right now on doing me that I really don't pay too much attention anymore. One thing I'm definitely doing is trying to take some of these new DJs and teach them the game. That was something I never had. Too many older and established DJs would rather hate on the younger generation then pull them to the side and teach them the art form. I don't want to be in that category. I just joined a local DJ academy here in Charlotte called "With These Hands Mix." I'm coming on board to teaching the mixtape class. The website is www.wthands.com.

101D.com: Nice. You know, the Carolinas are often overlooked. With the exception of a few, namely Little Brother and Petey “Death Row” Pablo, there haven't been many cats who have signed to a major or received much coverage in the mainstream media. What will it take the Carolinas to change that?

Chuck T: I think we need to support ourselves and build up our own movement here. We need to travel to other parts of the Carolinas and really focus on building up our names in the places around us. Everyone here pretty much keeps to themselves and never leaves outside of their city to promote their product. And some of the ones who eventually get a name for themselves run to Atlanta, Miami, Houston, or New York rather than focusing on establishing a buzz in the next town over from them. The music industry follows movements. If you look at the artists that are hot right now and the artists that are getting major record deals, you see they're all from the same cities and they all came out as a movement. In order for the Carolinas to get our just due in the music world we have to support each other and start a movement right here in the Carolinas.

101D.com: Since you're the "Carolina King," what are your plans to put Carolina on top?

Chuck T: Right now, I'm forming the United Carolina Record Pool. That's going to be our outlet to get our music out to the masses and show the world that we can make music that's just as hot as any other place. I want make our music as accessible as possible! From there, I have my company Publicity Stunt, LLC. It's a marketing, management, and consulting company I've put together to help artists network with people in the music industry and make sure they're getting the proper advice about what route they should take with their music. And last but not least, I'm making myself more accessible to just about anybody making a move here. I understand that I have a name that's holds weight in the music industry and my co-sign means a lot. I want to make sure that I'm using that for the good of my states.

SAMANTHA MACHADO: How Shyness Launched a Pop Singer's Career

By Adam Bernard

Although it may sound a bit odd, pop singer Samantha Machado owes her career to her extreme shyness. Well, her extreme shyness and the one big fan who really wanted to hear her sing. That fan was her father. "He loves it when I sing and I would never sing in front of him," Machado explains. "He wanted me to record a couple songs for fun for him, just for the experience."

This led them to Wade Martin's studio. A fortuitous choice as Martin happens to be the president of WM Studios, which is a subsidiary of JWM Records. "I went to Wade's studio randomly," she remembers. "My dad just found him. I had a blast. I had so much fun and Wade was really interested in working with me." For Machado it wasn't exactly a hard sell.

According to Martin, Machado quickly became a "studio rat," spending almost all of her time there over the course of the next six months. The 18-year-old Sacramento, California transplant who had spent most of her childhood signing in choirs and taking private lessons was eager to prove she was more interested in demo tapes than the desert air of her home in Arizona.

Machado was finally seeing the culmination of a goal she'd had since she first saw The Sound of Music as a child: she was becoming a recording artist.

The Sound of Music may not sound like your normal starting point of inspiration for an 18-year-old, but for Machado it marked her entry into the world of singing. She readily admits, "That (movie) is probably why I started singing. It was the first musical I ever saw. I know every song. I still love it." Machado's own work, however, is of a decidedly different fare.

Colbie Caillat, Sheryl Crow and Mandy Moore are the type of artists Machado counts as her contemporaries, although she notes she might lean a little more toward a "poppy" feel. Her album, titled Myself, is autobiographical in a lot of ways. Machado says "it explains everything I go through and how I feel." What she has found is that she is not alone in her feelings. "A lot of my friends will listen to it and say 'I didn't know you felt that way, I feel the same way'," she continues. "So I feel like I relate a lot to girls my age."

The first single off of the album is the title track, "Myself," which Machado says is about "finding yourself and believing in yourself even though something bad might have happened. You owe it to yourself to be the person you are." She adds, "it's also about letting go and to accept you're letting go of things and just be happy, and if you are happy let people know."

One thing Machado has no plans of accepting is the cliché of the pop singer needing to also be a dancer with seemingly every movement she makes being tightly choreographed and backed by a professional dance team. "I don't really dance and I don't want to do that kind of thing," she explains. "With my music, I don't know if it would even look right."

Forget dancing. For Machado, her music has a much more important power - the ability to bring her out of her shell. "On stage I'm not very shy," she states with a newfound confidence. Ironically, had that been true earlier in her life, she may have never needed to find a studio to record that CD for her father and none of this may have ever happened.

Lollapalooza 2009

Rumors continue to fly as some rumored artists have already been leaked for the Lollapalooza 2009 lineup. Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode and Kings Of Leon have made headlines as potential performers for the three-day festival this August. Fans and critics have immediately labeled the 2009 festival as disappointing, claiming the lineup is a “bunch of over the hill acts” and “boring and unimaginative.”
The full Lollapalooza lineup is expected to be announced this April. Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane’s Addiction, has been organizing the event on and off since 1991, where the original lineup of the band kicked off the festival. A couple months later, the band broke up. They haven’t played since, making this appearance especially newsworthy. However, some have critiqued this decision stating that Farrell purposely chose bands less than him to push himself as the headliner. Others say that this choice is dull because Jane’s Addiction has already played the festival, and it won’t be interesting to constant attendees.
A band that hasn’t appeared on the program before, Depeche Mode, has been further analyzed as a “washed up” and “reunited” band that won’t appeal to the typically young adult audience. The 80s band seems a bit mismatched among the more recent chart toppers in attendance who target the college crowd. I personally wouldn’t underestimate their fan base, even if they have been around 30+ years. They still play sold out areas worldwide, what’s to say they can’t fill up an outdoor park? In their defense, co-headliners The Beastie Boys gained momentum in the 80’s and still go strong today.
The Beastie Boys played Lollapalooza in 1994, failing to excite long-time festivalgoers with their return. Because they are also playing Bonnaroo in June, I personally wonder if the reason Lollapalooza seems so weak this year is correlated to the fact that they get the leftovers of all the other festivals. Lollapalooza has the disadvantage of being the last festival of the season in August. Most of the other venues have already shocked audiences and announced reunions. Is it is possible for Lollapalooza to regain their title due to the competition?
Lollapalooza’s worst competition is its lineup of last year. Resurrecting Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails is no easy task, but they also created diversity with their lineup, adding prime time hip-hop players such as Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco. After this brilliant and fortunate pairing, can it be topped? Stay tuned…

The Greatest Album Of All Time

Musical taste remains purely subjective, allowing nearly everyone to claim an album or song "life-changing." Rolling Stone Magazine has compiled a list citing the "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" placing The Bealtes' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band" in the top slot, to which many respond positively. If musical taste is in fact based on personal preference, wouldn't everyone have a different number one?
To those of you who are familiar with my iTunes library, or have even seen the walls of my bedroom, you may view my choice as predictable, bias, or both-but bear with me, I can back it up.
Reviewing my album purchases throughout the past decade, one succeeds in standing out amongst the crowd.
Weezer's "The Blue Album" will forever remain my favorite album. The Blue Album is perfection,everyone of the ten tracks could have easily topped the charts as a single-and three of them successfully did. Each song pairs diverse melodies and various genres with the spitting lyrical genius, frontman Rivers Cuomo.
Nothing sounds quite like the rhyming habits of Cuomo's lyrics, the groove between Matt Sharp's bass paired with Patrick Wilson's hard-hitting drums and guitar whining of Brian Bell.
Throughout the ten tracks, Cuomo remains consistent in delivering diverse and melodic songs, ranging from topics of family values, romantic jealousy, a sibling's car accident and River's personal dreams.
Weezer introduces "The Blue Album" with acoustic picking that evolves into an explosion of personal frustration through the use of heavy guitar. Rivers spits, "guess what I received in the mail today? words of deep concern for my little brother" expressing aggravation over his brother's issues with insurance. He evokes doubt with phrases "the dozer will not clear his path" and "driver swears he learned his math."
"No One Else" is told from a fictional character whose traits are spawned from what the exact opposite of Rivers Cuomo would be like. In this track he spills unfiltered jealousy toward his girlfriend who "laughs about everything, whether it's funny or not." The album then progresses into "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" where the same inventive character now contradicts his earlier complaints when she is away and he misses her. Cuomo explained "No One Else" as being about "the jealous-obsessive asshole in me freaking out on my girlfriend," he said that "'The World Has Turned and Left Me Here' is the same asshole wondering why she’s gone."
"Buddy Holly" is a quirky tune that wholeheartedly defends himself and his friends against trash-talkers, who I later found out were members of the band. In the album booklet for Rivers' solo album, he states that the lyrical inspiration derived from an incident in which the other members of Weezer were making fun of Cuomo's friend, Kyung He. Cuomo talks about how he originally didn't want to include the song on the album but was convinced otherwise by producer Ric Ocasek. Cuomo also talks about the writing process of the song, stating that originally the chorus lyrics were "You look just like Ginger Rogers/Oh-oh/I move just like Fred Astaire."

"Undone-The Sweater Song" serves as perhaps the greatest metaphor of all time, originally a sad song that many have deemed humorous. This was the first single off the band's debut album, which resulted in a great success. Said Rivers of the song, "'Undone' is the feeling you get when the train stops and the little guy comes knockin' on your door. It was supposed to be a sad song, but everyone thinks it’s hilarious." He went on to explain,"I took typing, Psych 101, and English 101 that semester. It was in my English class that I heard the analogy of the unraveling sweater. Dr. Eisenstein used the image to demonstrate the effectiveness of focused thesis statement in an essay. “All I have to do is hold a single thread in your sweater and it will unravel as you walk away.”
The California-originated band chimes in with techniques of a barbershop quartet similar to the likes of the Beach Boys in the next track, "Surf Wax America." Cuomo called "Surf Wax" "a total sarcastic call to hedonism, to sing along, drink and be merry. I hate drinking and only do so when I absolutely have to." Prior to the breakdown of doo-wop, the antsy chorus taunts, "You take your car to work, I'll take my board, and when you're out of fuel, I'm still afloat."
Upon first listen to The Blue Album, the track that immediately stood out to me the most was "Say It Ain't So." What makes this song fantastic isn't so much the lyrical content, but the simple yet effective guitar progression through the chorus. In 2008, the song was ranked #72 on Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." Rivers made the connection between the line and an experience he had in high school where he came home to find a bottle of alcohol (belonging to his stepfather) in the refrigerator. Rivers recalled that around the time his biological father left, he started drinking. He began to fear that Stephen, his step father, would soon leave his mother much the way his father did. During an interview for a radio station in support of the band's 5th album, "Make Believe," Rivers stated that the entire song was a misconception as he found out later that the bottle of beer didn't in fact belong to his stepfather. Good thing he wrote the song for our enjoyment before he fact-checked.
In the first verse of "In The Garage" Rivers reflects his childhood interest in comics, RPGs, and super heroes. In each chorus, Rivers expresses his comfort with these genuinely nerdy things. Rivers mentions Kiss, a rock group that influenced him in his youth. He also discusses himself for the first time in the song. He refers to his songs as "stupid songs" made up of "stupid words" which hints at a bit of insecurity revolving the music he is about to release to the world.
"Holiday" belies strong influences from the things Rivers was interested in at the time of 1993. In the Rivers Cuomo fan interview, Rivers expressed that famed beat poet Jack Kerouac was one of his favorite philosophers at the time. In the song, Rivers drops the line, "On the road with Kerouac", a reference to Kerouac's, "On The Road."
"Only in Dreams" is one of the most universally liked Weezer songs amongst the die hard fans. Its solo and build-up are regarded as some of Cuomo's best work, and the bassline is arguably the most famous bassline in the entire Weezer discography. It is also the longest track in the band's catalog, clocking in at nearly eight minutes.

Overall this diverse album has yet to compared to anything else in my collection, much less anything I've heard on the radio. If you have a love for music, give it a listen. Just once. Blame me if you don't like it =)

My Desired Music Festival Marathon.

Once the weather heats up around March, the multi-day music festivals begin jam-packing their lineups with bands that even your grandmother has heard of. My goal is to one year witness every popular outdoor music festival the US has to offer, starting with South by Southwest in March and ending with Lollapalooza in August. It's a difficult task to claim one festival is better than the other. Not only do they represent various regions in the US, they offer a fresh culture and experience unlike any other.
Some say it began with Woodstock, one of the most memorable cultures in rock music. Following it's decease in 1999, many began replicating the idea across the nation. I did some research on the most successful recent festivals that are occurring within the next few months.
Usually, festivals pair up and coming artists with legends of the past. I've broken it down for ya. Go ahead and take a look, map out the ones worth going to.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW)-Austin, TX
This fills the title of the largest festival, with 1,400 performers in multiple venues. SXSW is also unique because it includes film screenings, earning a valid reputation for many reputatable directors, such as Spike Lee. The festival brings in a huge profit since it began in 1987, originally a battle of the bands type show. In 2008, it made $110 million, making it the highest revenue producing event in Austin's economy.

WHEN? Usually 4 days in March.

LEGENDARY ACTS: 2007-The Stooges, Pete Townshend(The Who, spoke), David Bryne(Talking Heads, spoke)
2008-Van Morrison, Stu Cook Spike

BONNNAROO-Manchester, TN
The word Bonnaroo definedas slang is: a really good time. This term originated from a New Orleans R&B artist, Dr. John, with his 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo. Created more recently in 2002, every sponsor with a booth is required to have free activities for attendees. Rolling Stone Magazine named it “Best Festival” last year, calling it "the ultimate over-the-top summer festival."

WHEN? Four days in June

LEGENDARY ACTS: 2003-Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith (2004), The Alman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes(2005), Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello(2006), The Police(2007), Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Metallica(2008), Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Phish, The Beastie Boys, Elvis Costello(2009)

LOLLAPALOOZA-Chicago, IL
Organized by Perry Farrell (Singer of Jane's Addiction), this festival has run from 1991-1997, touring different cities in the U.S., and was placed on hiatus until 2003. Once the festival gained more distinguished acts and stayed in one place, fans were turned off by high ticket prices. In 2004, the festival was even canceled because of weak ticket sales across the nation. They had better luck in 2005 using an independent promotor, where ticket sales exceeded 65,000. It remains successful today.

WHEN? 3 days in August

LEGENDARY ACTS: The Smashing Pumpkins(1994), Metallica, The Ramones, (1996), Rage Against The Machine(1996, 2008) Billy Idol, The Pixies(2005)

COACHELLA-Indio, CA
Furthest west of the festivals, Coachella has nearly become a household name as it continues to gain popularity throughout the past decade. It began in 1999 and started to pick up attendees in 2001 to the present. Starting in October as a fall festival, it is now held in April or early May. Previously a two-day festival, more acts were announced two years ago and it expanded to three full days.

WHEN? Late April-Early May,

LEGENDARY ACTS: Morrissey(1999,2009), Iggy Pop(2001), The Pixies, The Cure(2004,2009), Nine Inch Nails(2005), Depeche Mode(2006), Willie Nelson(2007), Prince, Rodger Waters(2008), Paul McCartney(2009)

Many other festivals have began to pop up around the U.S. as well as these. Even outside the U.S. many attend the Glastonbury Festival in England which has attracted over 150,000 people. Festival-goers all over have described the experience unlike any other. Not only do attendees purchase tickets for the artists, they want to be around the atmosphere, camp on-site, and take part in knowing what it means to be part of the music.

Before I die, I am attended as many as I can-starting with Coachella this April.

OPINION: Concerts You Could Only Dream About PART TWO

HIP HOP-Beastie Boys, Outkast, and Kanye West

Opening: Kanye West
Critically acclaimed "hottest MC in the game," Kanye West serves as a triple threat to hip-hop: singer, producer, and rapper. P. Diddy (or Puff Daddy?) has stated through a personal YouTube video, "The concert changed my life. I ain’t gonna lie. I was so impressed and inspired. It was beautiful, man, and I fell in love with hip-hop again."
Never having witnessed one of his concerts myself, I have only heard raving reviews. During his shows, he hires no backup dancers or singers. He remains the only one onstage throughout the show.
Anyone who reads the headlines knows that Mr. West doesn't take criticism well. Between his public outburst of "George Bush doesn't care about black people" to going onstage to accept an award he was only nominated for, trying to convince the audience he deserved it.
During a show in Australia, West began to rant on how the media unjustly contributed to the breakdown of Britney Spears, making his first song last ten minutes more than expected. After he finished, he exited the stage and told the band to keep playing. Confused, they kept going until Kayne re-appeared and sang 30 seconds of "Love Lockdown" before abruptly vacating the stage once again. He walked back on later as the band began a third time as he stated, “I’m supposed to have another f*cking outfit for this song, but they’ve taken it back to the dressing room. Let’s just do it”. After the full performance of the song, he walked off stage shouting "Goodbye Sydney!" as outraged fans yelled at the house lights coming back on, signaling the end of the show.
I'm not expressing any desire to have this happen during a concert that I attend but this further proves the point that Kanye does what he wants. When I go to a show, I expect to be entertained and encounter the unexpected. Kanye has no rules, neither do his performances.


Mid-Outkast
Constantly praised for their originality toward the genre of hip-hop, how could their show be any less creative? Despite their massive success of the album "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" being one of the three hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond in the U.S.-they have remained the same down to earth couple they were when they first started out.
After being the second rap artist to win "Album of the Year" at the Grammys (aside from Lauryn Hill) André 3000 performed "Hey Ya!" as the show closed featuring dancers moving wildly around a green teepee, war paint and feathered headdresses. Creative to some, offensive to others. He was criticized by the Native American Cultural Center, who called for a boycott of Outkast, Arista Records, NARAS, and CBS, the broadcaster of the awards show. CBS later apologized, hoping to avoid plummeting ratings.
Outkast is another artist who has always steered away from boundaries. Concert reviewer Steve Appleford of the Rolling Stone described their show as a "frenetic carnival of high-concept party music." They fill the stage with backup singers and dancers, a guitarist, a bassist, and a DJ, in addition to the two main members of the group. Andre has been known to provide a spectacle of his own, usually sporting a blond wig and a pink jumpsuit David Bowie might have worn to orbit the Earth in 1970 while Big Boi quietly commanded the stage with his usual jeans and shirt.

Headliner: The Beastie Boys
I will never forget the opportunity I missed when I was 14. The Beastie Boys played a small venue less than a mile from my high school in Las Vegas for MTV's $2 concert series. Why did I miss it? I was distraught by the dozens of fans camped out for days at the local gas stations hoping to score tickets. The situation was unfortunate and the opportunity hasn't risen since.
Somewhat recently, The 2007 Athens' Ejekt festival came to an abrupt and violent end when 30 masked men armed with CS-gas, iron bars and baseball bats stormed the stadium during the Beastie Boys' set. Cars were set ablaze and a member of electronic group Underworld, who were set to close out the event, was injured in the melee.
Earlier that same year, the band encouraged the audience members to dress up in suits and gowns on their website and pre-show promotions for a show in Chicago. Many in attendance were in suits, tuxes, fancy dresses, feather boas and even the occasional lab coat and fake mustache (like the"Sabatoge" video).
The band is excellent, even though MCA, Ad-Rock, and Mike D are looking old. It doesn't matter. They still have it in them-anyone who says differently is whack.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Pittsburgh Slim

You may heave heard the song "Girls Kiss Girls" on your radio last fall after his music video became a YouTube sensation.
With his infectious banger "My Bitch Is Crazy" quickly making an impact on iTunes, Pennsylvanian rapper Pittsburgh Slim has signed with 101 Distribution to turn his hypnotic record into a ringtone that will be readily available to download on all national and regional phone carriers.

The song, produced by Chris Styles (the man responsible for hits such as 50 Cent's "Disco Inferno" and "Window Shopper"), is an autobiographical crossover smash that pays homage to women who are comfortable in their own skin and happen to be a bit mischievous.

"In rap, there are a lot of songs that put girls down, but I'm doing just the opposite. I mean, I like a crazy girl," Pittsburgh Slim explains. "It's definitely a record that girls can dance to, but at the same time, it's not a chick song. Like guys aren't gonna blush when it comes on because guys like that too, and they can relate to having those situations with their girlfriends."

"My Bitch Is Crazy" is slated to appear in The Bleeding, a horror action movie that Slim also has a role in. It's due in theatres in October.

In September 2007, Jay-Z signed Pittsburgh Slim to Def Jam and he released a seven-track album entitled Tastemaker that December. Slim asked for his release from the label in August 2008 and has become an independent artist ever since.

For more information or to download the ringtone or single for "My Bitch Is Crazy," visit www.101d.com
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OPINION: Concerts you could only dream about

Do you ever see a concert or festival for one specific band, wishing that the headliners were half as entertaining so you wouldn't be wasting your money? This week I have listed my ideal concerts for each genre. It's not exactly realistic as some of the bands aren't even around anymore, but one can dream can't they?

MY DREAM ROCK CONCERT: Rage Against The Machine/The Rolling Stones/ The Who

Opening Band: Rage Against The Machine
I had to think about this one for a while. My criteria for these selections is solely based on the artist's ability to perform, unpredictability and entertainment value. Rage successfully fulfills all of these requirements.
Rage has forever thrived on their ability to protest through performances causing massive controversy and mystery with every show. In 1993, the band was scheduled at the music festival Lollapalooza in Chicago. The band came onstage with nothing on them except tape over their mouths. Their four nude bodies stood in a row to display the letters PRMC. No sound was emitted from the speakers except feedback. Fans grew angry as the band refused to play in protest to the Parent's Music Resource Center, which is an organization who fights to censor music. After they walked off stage without playing a set, fans became outraged, causing the band to play a free show the next day for the sake of keeping their supporters.
When asked to perform on Saturday Night Live, the band was scheduled with guest Steve Forbes, a republican politician. Producers should have known this wouldn't have gone well when the band attempted to hang inverted American flags during their set. The band was scheduled to play two songs during the show, but it was immediately shortened to one.
Not only is Rage controversial, they have the introverted guitar techniques of Tom Morello. An honors graduate of Harvard University, politically outspoken Morello began playing guitar everyday for hours at time during his undergraduate years. He has been featured as one of Rolling Stone's, "Top 100 Guitarists of All Time."
Critically acclaimed, he is said to use the guitar in a unique and imaginative way; rather than just plucking the strings, his maneuvers include toggling between two pickups - one on and one off - while rubbing his hands on the strings over the pickups (his signature vinyl scratch effect used in "Bulls on Parade"). He also uses techniques such as rapidly hitting a pencil on the strings ("Cochise"), scraping an Allen wrench on the strings for a whole song ("People of the Sun") and even tapping the bridge with his audio jack cable ("Testify").
Rage is fearless, daring and probably put on one of the best shows of all time.


Mid: The Rolling Stones
Some may think this is generic, but I beg to differ. Look at the history of the Rolling Stones' tours. Their last tour in support of "A Bigger Bang" was dubbed one of the largest grossing tours of all time making over $558 million from 2005-2007. The 1970 documentary entitled, "Gimme Shelter" taped probably the most insane concert moment ever during their performance at Madison Square Garden. The Stones were ending the show with "Under My Thumb" as an 18-year-old man became involved in an altercation with some Hells Angels, (whom The Stones had hired for security) and drew a long-barreled revolver as he was stabbed to death by one of the Hells Angels. It is clear that Hunter drew his weapon before he was stabbed the first time. He was stabbed five times in total and kicked to death during the performance. The Rolling Stones had to interrupt their performance numerous times. Unaware that Hunter's stabbing was fatal, the Stones decided to continue to prevent a possible riot. Hell's Angel Sonny Barger claims he held a gun to Keith Richards and said, "You keep f****n' playing or you're dead."

Headliner: The Who
You may think I have an odd combination of bands under the rock genre, but the reason I labeled The Who as headliner is because I would want to see them with the original lineup of Keith Moon on the drums and John Entwistle on bass. Both of these fellow died due to an overdose on drugs or long lasting effects of them. Keith Moon famously passed out during a set on tour while a fan jumped up on stage to finish it for him. They were truly Rock 'N Roll I guess.
I think it goes without saying that every true music fan desires to see Pete Townshend smash his guitar on stage. Townshend currently suffers from partial deafness believed to be the result of extensive exposure to loud music through headphones and in concert, including The Who concert at Charlton Athletic Football Ground, London, on 31 May 1976 that was listed as the "Loudest Concert Ever" by the Guinness Book of Records, where the volume level was measured at 126 decibels 32 metres from the stage. It is also possible that Keith Moon's exploding drum set during The Who's appearance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour contributed to Pete's hearing loss.
On a famous night in December 1973, eleven people were killed before a Who concert as people rushed to get a decent seat in the sold out, general seating concert arena. Many had been waiting for hours outside the doors when they heard a sound check on stage. Under false impressions that the concert had begun and successfully ran over the closed doors.

MY DREAM PUNK ROCK CONCERT: Green Day/The Ramones/The Clash

Opening: Green Day
This is the only band listed that I have actually seen live. Say what you will about their recent massive success, but it remains the best concert I have ever seen. They're a band that's best when playing a show. After the success of the album, "Dookie" the band signed on for Woodstock '94 which happened to be a weekend of rain and mud. During their set, some fans started throwing mud at the band while playing. As the stage filled up with piles of mud, Green Day stopped their set and started to throw it back into the crowd. The security guards did their best to monitor the crowd while dressed in mud-coated plastic ponchos. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong taunted the crowd while rolling around in the mud onstage as he grabbed his microphone and smashed it into the ground. A kid no older than 13 jumped onto the stage as Billie Joe erupted into a chorus of "We're Not Gonna Take It" from Twisted Sister. He then told the crowd, "Hey, everyone say shut the f*** up and we'll stop playing." The crowd did and he marched off the stage as fan swarmed after him leaving drummer Tre Cool with bruises all over his body.

Mid: The Ramones
The Ramone's first gig was at the legendary rock club CBGB. Their set lasted only 17 minutes and 20 fast songs full of energy. No one ever did something like that. The majority of the critics weren't ready for this revelation: some saw the iron side of it, "They played every song at 78 rpm", some complained about the shortness of the concert. Ramones reply to these accusations was: "You have what you paid for".
Johnny Ramone couldn't stand mistakes or stupidity. He had a diary of all concerts, so he knew exactly where they had been and how many people went to see them. He was very precise. Because of his personality and his sometimes dictatorial ways the other members called him führer. The live shows became more frenetic and Ramones spent most of the time travelling from one place to another. Being so close together created tensions that disappeared as soon as the four had a little privacy. In those days they performed five concerts a week doing 45 minutes each set.


Headliner: The Clash
This one is more specific. As The Clash grew in popularity, they began to play less shows instead of more. I would have liked to see them when played a series of 17 concerts at Bond's International Casino in New York City in May and June 1981 in support of their album, "Sandinista!" Strict interpretation of the fire laws meant that audiences were relatively small and resulting in a sense of intimacy between the band and the audience. Audience members clambered onto the stage to join in singalongs. New York musicians, including Pearl Harbor, assisted and overseen by Andy Dunkley, provided disc jockey services as the audience entered and gathered.
As always with The Clash, ticket prices were set relatively low. That's something you don't see today.

THE LEGEND (or letdown?) OF CHINESE DEMOCRACY

Guns N' Roses's hidden and massively hyped Chinese Democracy was shielded from the public for 16 years until recently when it was finally released to listeners where it received shockingly mixed reviews. A California blogger, Kevin Cogill, has been said to have contributed to Rose's stark decision to unveil after he controversially leaked nine of the tracks online causing the site to crash from excessive downloading. Cogill was quickly put in handcuffs the following morning. Fans have pleaded with Axl and his producers for distribution of the album claiming that these tracks are among the most groundbreaking work of his career-which has now been open for debate.

Despite the never-ending pressure from what seems to be everyone, (Dr. Pepper even promised the public each a free soft drink if Guns N' Roses agreed to release) Axl Rose refused press concerning Chinese Democracy. Apparently he has been missing for almost two months, refusing phone calls or any contact with anyone. Marketers say this contributed to the lower than expected sales that reached only 261,000 in the first week. The album reached an exclusive deal with Best Buy, making it the sole distributer and thus further restricting sales.

Record executives at Geffen have been upset with Axl and claimed that the chain "under advertised" and didn't display the album correctly in some outlets.
I am not a huge Guns N' Roses fan by any means, but am I still allowed to be critical of how it was received? The supposedly sacred album was expected to innovate today's music has become a disappointment to fans and a failure for Axl's career. Rolling Stone Magazine has even predicted that Rose "step outside, take a breath of fresh California air, then shut the door until 2039." Public perception of the release was generally a letdown claiming that the album lacked any melodic songs and was instead crammed with obscure excerpts including a boy's choir and ambient noise.

Some have theorized that our downward spiraling economy motivated former Guns N' Roses frontman to attempt raking in some record breaking profits. The New York Times reported in 2005 that Rose laid down 13 million creating the album, making it one of the most expensive recordings "never made." Clearly Rose predicted a massive public response but only made it to #3 on the Billboard charts. Although the album has gained some praise from critics, (Rolling Stone named it #8 on the top albums of 2008) I personally feel that the whole idea, anticipation, and excitement of Chinese Democracy have been shattered. With ridiculously high expectations, could have ever lived up to the hype?

In Cameron Crowe's autobiographical film, Almost Famous, Crowe's no apologies journalist idol, Lester Bangs, lays it out to him, "It's just a shame you missed out on Rock N' Roll. It's over. You got here just in time for the death rattle." Is it over? Is nobody excited anymore? Chinese Democracy was the first largely celebrated rock release in many years. The album wasn't widely received promotionally or critically. Admittedly I was shocked at the failure of the public to embrace a myth of Rock N' Roll. Maybe the cult of Guns N' Roses fans are dying off as they get older and are too old to perform in cover bands every weekend.