James Blunt Week: Give Me Some Love

 I arranged all of the songs, and "Give Me Some Love" is more of a complex arrangement. The great benefit of these guys that I toured with in the band is that we really understand each other. I can get in, and although I don't necessarily play all of the instruments like the drums or the bass particularly well, at least I have a real understanding of what is done, and I can turn to these guys and describe it and we have such a close relationship on a musical level that I really know what I'm trying to express very quickly. I sit there and describe it and it comes together, and as a result it's a really fun song and it's a chance to free ourselves and have fun.

Preview the songs from "All the Lost Souls," watch videos and learn more right- here

GNR CD Release Set

An astute reader informed us today that Amazon's UK store is now listing the release date for Chinese Democracy as Tuesday February 12, 2008. (which we confirmed) UK releases usually come out on Monday so this may be an exception or a typo but two other leading UK retailers list a February 11th release date. At press time the US Amazon site does not list the album. The UK site lists Geffen/Universal as the label. So news of Axl's split with the label might not be entirely true but obviously the label would like to recoup the millions they have sunk into the effort. Early mixes of few tracks leaked last year and were meet with rave reviews by the true believers and many expected an imminent release of the album when Axl announced a world tour late last year where he previewed some tracks from the CD. Then a management shuffle came and Axl issued a statement saying the release was coming soon.

Now that you are jumping up and down in celebration we have to tell that this isn't the first time a UK based retailer has published a release date for "Chinese Democracy". In February, HMV's website excited GNR fans when they listed a September 2007 release date. Which will all know did not come to pass. A check of their site today shows a release date of February 11, 2008 which falls in line with the Monday release for UK releases. However, to add more fuel to the fire that this is legit, Virgin Megastore's UK site also lists a 2/11/08 release date. So with three leading retailers listing a release that week we may finally, at last see "Chinese Democracy" come to pass in February.- What to expect? Here is our review of the leaked tracks

Rolling Stone Boycott

This probably isn't applicable to many here since you're real music fans but Friedman is urging those that do buy Rolling Stone to stop in hopes of sending a message to Jane Wiener (we know how it's spelled. It just seems more honest spelled this way). You see Wiener is not only the publisher of Rolling Stone but also the man behind the Crock Hall of Shame. It's his handpicked minions that select the nominees each year that anger most real rock fans. Friedman says in his editorial that "Wenner's nominating committee consists largely of his current and former employees from Rolling Stone (Nathan Brackett, David Fricke, Jim Henke, Joe Levy, Brian Keizer, Toure, and Anthony DeCurtis)." (that explains so much). 

Of course, the sham nominees are voted on by mostly (clueless?) outsiders but all votes apparently are not equal as Friedman broke the story last year that Jane tossed out the inducting vote for Dave Clark Five and instead gave it to Grandmaster Flash. This year's nominees seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back for Friedman (and many others). Because we all know that a record scratcher and disco princess had far more impact on "rock" than say Iggy Pop or KISS. Friedman ends his boycott plea with "Until real rock is served by the Hall of Fame, please don't buy Rolling Stone or click on any of the ads on its Web site. Then maybe Wenner will get the message that no one can take his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seriously anymore." - Read the call for the boycott

RIAA Trial Starts

Thomas, a 30-year-old mother of two, is the first of 26,000 people sued by the industry whose case has gone to trial. An industry group and three recording companies claim she illegally offered 1,702 songs for free on a file-sharing network.

Her trial offers the first chance for both sides in the debate over online music sharing- more on this story

Sex Pistol Swearing Ban

John Lydon claims bass player Glen Matlock has insisted the punk icons keep their language clean, because his son will be at some of the concerts.

However, the outspoken singer looks set to ignore the bad language ban for the upcoming gigs, which include dates in London and Hollywood.
- Read what Johnny Rotten had to f**king say about the ban

Brad Pearl Jamming Again

The band made the announcement on their official site: "BRAD is to reunite for the first time since 2005 to play some live shows ahead of the release of their new album. The band travel to New York for a special benefit event hosted by Tim Robbins. The evening will be a celebration of Woody and Marjorie Guthrie to benefit Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) and will also feature Billy Bragg and some very special guests. 17th October 2007 - Webster Hall, NEW YORK at 7pm"

Today they announced additional shows: "As a 'warm-up' to the HDSA benefit show on the 17th October Brad will be playing on the 16th October at the Highline Ballroom in New York. Brad then head back to Seattle and play Neumos on the 19th October." - that's not the only reunion Stone is looking at

Placebo Lose Member

Announcing Hewitt's departure on the band's website, Placebo frontman Brian Moloko explained: "Being in a band is very much like being in a marriage and in couples - in this case a triple. People can grow apart over the years." 

He added: "To say you don't love your partner anymore is inaccurate considering all that you've been through and achieved together. There simply comes a point when you realise that you want different things from your relationship and that you can no longer live under the same roof, so to speak." 
- more on this story

Morrissey Plans New CD

Speaking ahead of his ten night residency in Los Angeles the former Smiths man said that all the songs are already in place for the new record. 

"The plan is to make a new album after this tour. It's absolutely written and completely ready," Morrissey told the BBC. - more on this story

Tawn Mastrey Off Life Support

We had to make a decision to take Tawn off life support system today because Tawn is no longer a candidate for a liver transplant. Her heart is not strong enough to take an operation says the doctors. They say she will pass naturally. She could pass away in a matter of hours, or days. 

She is heavily sedated. I asked her if she was in pain to squint her eyes. She opened her eyes wide for a second, so I asked the nurse for more medication. Tawn is too weak to open her eyes, but she makes occasional sounds. She looks comatose.- more on this story

Neko Case Reissues

Also being reissued is Case's most recent effort, 2006's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, which will feature a bonus disc with a four-song sampler of tracks from Blacklisted and Furnace Room as well as a demo of "Behind the House". 

Albums left out in the cold include Case's 1997 solo debut The Virginian and of course the 2001 home-recorded EP Canadian Amp.- more on this story

Flaming Lips Film Finally Coming Out

Years in the making, the film will hopefully be ready to premiere at the South By Southwest film and music festival in Austin this March.

The band is currently working on the movie's final edit and have decided to transfer the film into a High Defintion format after its completion. The Flaming Lips hope to showcase "Christmas on Mars" on tour, rather than only theatre shows. 
- more on this story

Megadeth Boxset One Week Late

Armed with digitally remastered career-defining album cuts, soundtrack and compilation sides, unreleased live and studio performances and interview clips spanning more than 20 years, Warchest is the ultimate Megadeth compendium. Included in the trove are a full 75-minute live set from a night on the 1990 "Clash of the Titans" tour and a DVD of highlights from a 1992 stop supporting Countdown – two historical shows, both making their release debuts on Warchest. The set's custom "vac-u-form" packaging showcases a 3-D ammo belt on its front and a 36-page booklet with an essay by Ian Christe and a comprehensive discography, complemented by an array of photos and images.- more info and complete tracklist

Phil Ramone Tells His Story

Making Records is a fascinating look "behind the glass" of a recording studio. From Phil's exhilarating early days recording jazz and commercial jingles at A&R, to his first studio, and eventual legendary producer status, Phil allows you to sit in on the sessions that created some of the most memorable music of the 20th century -- including Frank Sinatra's Duets album, Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Ray Charles's Genius Loves Company and Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years.

In addition to being a ringside seat for contemporary popular music history, Making Records is an unprecedented tutorial on the magic behind what music producers and engineers do. In these pages, Phil offers a rare peek inside the way music is made . . . illuminating the creative thought processes behind some of the most influential sessions in music history. This is a book about the art that is making records -- the way it began, the way it is now, and everything in between. A little more info and preorder at the- antiMusic store.

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