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August 14, 2006
Shorties
The Hartford Courant featured blogger coverage in its review of Lollapalooza.
Bloggers had a high profile at Lollapalooza, as the festival offered credentials to about 20 them, sometimes to the exclusion of daily newspapers (including this one) that reach exponentially larger audiences than those who read diary-style Web postings. Although it was a frustrating publicity strategy for smaller mainstream media outlets, it was a clever move: The young people in the festival's key demographic are more likely to troll the Internet for news about Lollapalooza than to look in newspapers.
Giving media passes to bloggers also meant a better chance of positive, fanzine-style reviews of bands playing the festival, instead of risking more critical coverage.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lists bonuses record companies are adding to CDs to increase sales.
Indie labels do the same thing. Those who pre-ordered the critically acclaimed new release by psychedelic rockers Comets on Fire from Seattle's Sub Pop records got a free concert DVD. Pre-orders of the upcoming CD from Portland's The Thermals get a free copy of the new "Burn to Shine" DVD, with live performances by the Shins, Decemberists and other Portland, Ore., bands. Perhaps the most direct thank-you for fans has come from comedian Eugene Mirman, who called 25 fans who bought his CD early from the label.
The Wall Street Journal examines bands using the internet to build buzz and cashflow.
The Internet can also provide a way to stoke CD sales. Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who make up the Brooklyn-based band Bishop Allen, built an Internet following with a continual-release strategy. In a move one part ambitious and one part "double-dog dare," says Rice, the pair decided to release four new songs a month for a year on their Web site. As a result, fans -- from New York and San Francisco to Kentucky and China -- keep coming back for more. They've sold an average of 1,500 CDs a month at $5 a pop. By pocketing $3.70 from each sale, the duo is set to earn nearly $35,000 each this year.
Bloomberg lists vacation music downloads.
Progressive Boink lists 50 of the "inexcusably worst" band names.
41. Mr. Mister
What at first looks very mildly clever in the same vain as The The is ruined by the fact that the band actually got its name from a Dairy Queen drink called Mr. Misty. Which, in turn, makes me think of Dustin Hoffman dressing up like the girl from Pokémon, & that's just wrong.
If you are in or near Pittsburgh, there is an open casting call Friday for the film adaptation of Micheal Chabon's debut novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.
Stylus reviews the new Radiohead songs.
Time selects their "50 coolest websites." I was glad to see Drawn! picked this year.
Pottery Barn is offering the iChair
High-quality built-in speakers are strategically positioned near your ears, and a subwoofer sits under your seat for maximum bass. A pocket holds your iPod® and a control panel by your right hand lets you change the volume.
The Los Angeles Times reviews Sleater-Kinney's final show.
"This band has saved my life so many times, and I'm so grateful to have been a part of it," said Carrie Brownstein, Sleater-Kinney's windmilling lead guitarist and second singer, at the end of an intense, celebratory two-hour set. Her comment might have come from virtually anyone in the dancing, shouting, misty-eyed, smiling crowd. As Brownstein and her bandmates, vocalist-guitarist Corin Tucker and drummer Janet Weiss, locked instruments during telepathic jams and feverish punk throw-downs, fans responded with an intensity appropriate for the last spin of the soundtrack to their lives.
Tiny Suns Infused With Sour has the setlist and some YouTube videos.
PC World lists the "25 Greatest PCs of all time," including five Apple machines.
AOL has a "music indie blog."
