Steve Wynn Week: Final Day

But writing "Manhattan Fault Line" was a pretty unique experience for me. I was fooling around with the Mac program Garageband and digging all of the various loops. I found an acoustic guitar loop that absolutely hypnotized me. I just let it run and fell into a near-dream state and the whole song just came to me. - Read the rest of this song story

Metallica Mix Up: New CD Not Music To Every Fans Ears

LA Times reports: Metallica's Death Magnetic album holds down a second week atop the national sales chart, which may be music to the ears of the speed metal band and its record label, but not to a growing number of fans who are squawking about what they're hearing.

The album, which sold an additional 370,000 copies last week after moving 490,000 during its first three days in stores, is the subject of an online petition decrying the sound quality and demanding that it be remixed or remastered and re-released with improved audio. That petition contained more than 10,000 signatures as of this afternoon...

The debate swirling across the Internet also claims that a different version of the album, one that can be downloaded from the Guitar Hero III website for the Xbox and PlayStation game systems, sounds markedly better than the CD version or the conventional download. The thrust of the complaints is that the music has been sonically compressed - reducing the natural difference between the loudest and softest sounds - so that it would sound as loud as possible on CD. - more on this story

AC/DC Don't Need No Stinking iTunes

Jam! reports: Rockers AC/DC are refusing to sell their music through internet download service iTunes, because they fear fans will only purchase "a few tracks".

The band wants fans to purchase their music as a whole package, because the songs "belong together".

Frontman Angus Young says, "We don't make singles, we make albums." He adds, "Since iTunes came into existence, we've actually increased our back catalogue sales without being on the site." - more on this story

Limp Bizkit Reunite With Evanescence Guitarist Replacing Borland?

Music Radar reports: According to interweb rumours, and Metal Hammer magazine, hot dog-flavored rockers Limp Bizkit have reformed.

Since Limp Bizkit's on-off guitarist Wes Borland officially joined Marilyn Manson earlier this year, Durst and co have re-recruited another on-off guitarist: Terry Balsamo. Balsamo was part of the early 'Bizkit line-up in 1995, before picking up guitar duties with Cold and Evanescence.

The Fred Durst-fronted outfit have not released any new material since 2005's Greatest Hitz. - more on this story

Kid Rock The Beer Coming Soon, Blink-182 Crash Victim Memorial Plans, The Police Reunion Pays Off, UK Deny Busta Rhymes, Macca Rocks Israel and more

antiMusic reports: Kid Rock is set to launch his own brand of beer. The rocker has teamed up with Drinks Americas Holdings to launch a premium domestic beer, which will be released next year. more.

Another following to the Blink-182 plane crash story: An airfield memorial Saturday will pay tribute to James Bland, a veteran pilot who grew up watching airplanes at Orange County airports and died in a fiery crash that badly injured two celebrity musicians. Bland was the co-pilot of a small business jet that skidded off a runway and crashed last week in South Carolina. The plane's passengers, former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and disc jockey Adam Goldstein, known as DJ AM, were hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns. more

The Police have been named as the highest-earning musicians - having made $115 million in the past year. The Forbes Magazine poll revealed that Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and Madonna are also in the top five. more.

Rapper Busta Rhymes was briefly detained at a London airport Thursday by immigration officers who said he should not be allowed into the country, a concert promoter said. more.

Terrorist threats aside, after a 43-year wait, Paul McCartney performed his first concert in Israel on Thursday, kicking it off with the familiar Beatles' song "Hello, Goodbye" to the joy of tens of thousands of cheering fans. more.

Free Credit Report Dot Con have a new conman to pitch their not-really-free services. Former Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon has signed on to appear in two viral rap videos for the Experian credit bureau owned company. AP reports that "The videos feature McMahon wearing a tracksuit, being chauffeured around Los Angeles in a Cadillac Escalade golf cart and waxing lyrical about his very public financial troubles." No word if the company's usual spokesnerd will also be featured in the ads but those that want a truly free credit report can log on to annualcreditreport.com and avoid this scam.

The launch of MySpace Music ran into controversy on Thursday after the leading independent music trade body complained that its small music label members had been shut out and treated like second class citizens. The new music site opened shop with millions of free songs for streaming and paid downloads, but without agreements covering hundreds of labels representing well-known artists like Franz Ferdinand, Tom Waits, Arctic Monkeys and Bjork. more

Strangely we haven't been bombarded with angry emails from crazed Claybots after picking up part of the AP story the other day about Clay Aiken admitting he is gay. But AP did run a follow up that had one fan's reaction to the news: "This is really shocking news as I had no idea he was gay," read a comment posted by "Sheridansq." at ClayManiacs. "And now I have to deal with this. I am not sure what to say to people who know I was a fan. ... I didn't go to work today and am not answering the telephone." Denial = don't even notice I am lying. Or is this person ashamed about a major lack of observational skills? But isn't it really about the music? Who gives a damn if he's gay. Simon Cowell certainly doesn't.

The Flaming Lips' long-in-the-works film "Christmas on Mars" will arrive Oct. 28 on DVD via Warner Bros. A separate edition bundles the Lips' original score on CD with the DVD. more

Jon Bon Jovi showed off footage for the first time in public from the upcoming Phil Griffin-directed documentary about his band during a question-and-answer panel today (Sept. 25) as part of Advertising Week in New York. The clips showed the Bon Jovi being interviewed (and using a fair amount of expletives) about life on the road and what the band means to him, plus performing before vast crowds. In addition, guitarist Richie Sambora is seen talking about his addiction to painkillers and how the band eventually convinced him to go into rehab. antiMusic's very own Tony K was interviewed for the film. Will he make the final cut? That remains to be scene but you can read more about this preview here.

In support of their recently announced Singles collection, The Decemberists have announced a string of tour dates to kick off post-Election Day more

While the Red Hot Chili Peppers take some time off, Flea is spending his time in the halls of higher knowledge. The Chilis' bassist tells the Los Angeles Times he is studying music theory, jazz trumpet and composition at the University of Southern California. - more

Fiddy Disses Jay-Z

antiMusic reports: You could probably make a legitimate claim that Eminem gave us 50 Cent. But half-a-buck reportedly made a half-witted comment that Jay-Z was a "no one" until he wed Beyonce Knowles. At least that's what the following Jam! report claims:

Superstar Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, wed the Bootylicious beauty in April and 50 Cent claims it was their union - not the rap mogul's music – that raised his profile on the international scene.

He says, "I'm a big fan of Jay-Z, but outside of the States and hip-hop circles, no one really knew who he was until he married Beyonce." - more on this story

Will Kings of Leon Top Metallica?

PR reports: RCA Records is incredibly excited to announce that Kings of Leon's new record, Only By The Night, has sold an astonishing number of units already in the United Kingdom after just 2 days at retail, thus putting it on target to debut at #1 next week.

The first single from the new album, "Sex on Fire," has sold well over 100k units since its release on September 8th, making it the #1 single for two weeks straight, with a third week on top looking likely. All three of the band's previous records have now re-entered the top 50. - more on this story

Butch Walker Sets Release for Tragedy Inspired CD

PR reports: Sycamore Meadows, the street where acclaimed musician Butch Walker lived and worked in Malibu, CA has drastically changed as a result of the massive wildfires that destroyed much of the area last November. And like many other Southern California residents, Walker lost his entire house and all his personal possessions in those fires, including his studio and every master recording he's ever made. But inspiration sometimes comes from tragedy and so it became that this event incited Butch Walker to create music unlike anything he had ever done before. The result is his fourth album entitled Sycamore Meadows, due out on November 11, 2008 (Power Ballad/Stay Platinum/Original Signal). His revered talent – which includes producing for and writing with Pink, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, The Automatic, Hot Hot Heat, Secondhand Serenade, The Academy Is…, etc. - shines through on this very personal album and will further prove the staying power of Walker as a solo artist.

Always known to change up his musical styles, Butch Walker trades in his smart-glam, David Bowie-Marc Bolan sound heard on the previous solo album - The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites (July 2006/Epic) - for a classic and introspective sound highlighting his poignant lyrics and unforgettable melodies on Sycamore Meadows. Walker wrote and produced the entire album resulting in a collection of 12 beautifully constructed songs, delivering the distinct vibe his rabid fans already love him for and which will undoubtedly attract new audiences. - more on this story

Oasis Join the Digital Age

PR reports: Big Brother Recordings have announced they will be making the new Oasis album, 'Dig Out Your Soul', available in two separate formats for download purchasers. This is the first time a new Oasis album has been made available on mp3 from release.

In addition to the full-length album, the band will be releasing a simple ten-track mp3 version for £5. This will be available from a variety of online stores and the band's site at http://www.oasisinet.com.

A spokesperson for the label said, "We want to give the fans more of a choice. If you just want to get the tracks you've heard on the radio and check out a bit more of the band's new music you can for a reasonable price". [hum, that's about $10.00, the same price as most full albums on iTunes. Nice spin!] - more on this story

Rare Grateful Dead In Store Announced

PR reports: Grateful Dead founding members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir will make a rare in-store appearance and signing to celebrate the historic release of Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978.

The 2-CD/1-DVD Egypt collection features previously unreleased audio and video highlights from the band's legendary performances at the foot of The Great Pyramid in Gizah. The set will be released on September 30 from Grateful Dead Productions and Rhino.

Lesh and Weir will be signing copies of the release at the Best Buy in midtown Manhattan at 5th Avenue and East 44th Street on October 14 starting at 7:00 PM. The first 400 people to purchase Rocking The Cradle at this Best Buy location on Tuesday, September 30th will receive a wristband entitling them access to meet Lesh and Weir on October 14. Please contact the store for more details at (212) 808-0309.
- more on this story

Elton John Announces Best Buy Exclusive

PR reports: Following the success of 2004's definitive Elton John DVD set, Dream Ticket, the legendary Sir Elton John and Best Buy announce the Oct. 28 release of The Red Piano collection. Thousands of fans have traveled to Caesar's Palace Las Vegas to see over 200 shows, helping The Red Piano break records and set new standards for musical entertainment. This DVD/CD set available only at Best Buy and www.BestBuy.com/EltonJohn promises to bring this amazing entertainment experience to Elton John fans across the continent.

Available as a 2 DVD/2CD set in standard definition or 1 Blu-ray disc/2CD set in high-definition as well as a 3 LP Premium vinyl set, the concert features the 14-song performance of the Red Piano show including all of the fan favorites such as Candle in the Wind, Believe and Rocket Man. The DVD and Blu-ray discs feature a documentary about the making of The Red Piano show including footage of Sir Elton discussing the genesis of the show. - more on this story

Jason Mraz Charity Auction

Atlantic Records reports: Jason Mraz has announced plans to auction off exclusive ticket packages to his upcoming North American tour. Three very special auctions will be held at www.jasonmraz.com, with proceeds benefitting MusiCares, which provides critical assistance to music people in times of need.

Four pairs of tickets will be auctioned for each date on the tour, with the highest bidder receiving front row tickets (or, if the show is General Admission, front of line privileges), passes to an exclusive meet-and-greet where they will have their photo taken with Jason, and an autographed copy of his eco-friendly coffee table book of Polaroid images, a thousand things. The three next highest bidders will receive front row tickets/front of line privileges.

Three auctions will be held - more on this story

High Five Barenaked On The High Seas

PR reports: Ships and Dip V, the annual wild and wacky music cruise featuring Barenaked Ladies, has announced a video competition inviting music fans to submit a video of their best high five. The winning video submission will receive a double occupancy mini suite aboard Ships and Dip V, two AirTran Airways travel certificates, front row seating at a Barenaked Ladies main theater performance and the chance to high five the band onstage.

Video entries will be loaded into a Ships and Dip YouTube account that fans can link to directly and spread the word. Online voting will determine the top three videos from entries chosen based on originality and creativity. Barenaked Ladies will choose the grand prize winner which will be announced Oct. 24, 2008. Full contest rules and restrictions can be found on the contest website at highfiveonthehighseas.shipsanddip.com.

Ships and Dip V will set sail from Miami, FL on Feb. 1, 2009, on the Norwegian Jewel to Cozumel, Mexico and Norwegian Cruise Line's private island Great Stirrup Cay, returning on Feb. 6, 2009. - more on this story

Leak Bleeding Through Myspace

PR reports: Bleeding Through is streaming their new record "Declaration" in its entirety on Myspace this morning. This comes on the same day that Myspace has launched the all new "Myspace Music" packed with brand new features. (before you ask, the PR didn't include a Myspace link. Google is your friend).

"Declaration" released today September 26th in Europe on Nuclear Blast and September 30th via Trustkill in the US. Two hometown record release shows are planned. October 25th in San Diego at SOMA and October 26th in Anaheim at Chain Reaction with special guests Stick To Your Guns, Oblige and Let Live supporting.

Bleeding Through is finishing a tour in the US right now - more on this story

Other Lives EP

PR reports: Other Lives' self-titled debut EP will be released by tbd records on October 21st with a full-length album to follow early next year. "Black Tables," the album's first single, can was heard in the season premiere of the hit ABC series "Grey's Anatomy" and is available at iTunes.

Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the band - comprised of Jesse Tabish (piano, guitar, lead vocals), Josh Onstott (bass, organ, backing vocals), Jenny Hsu (cello, piano, backing vocals), Colby Owens (drums) and Jonathon Mooney (piano, violin, guitar) - has been playing music together for over five years, but only recently adopted the name Other Lives. With an organic, orchestrated sound that incorporates elements of progressive rock, folk and classical music, Other Lives draws its inspiration from a similarly wide array of sources - from historical events to the landscape in which the members grew up.

The band recorded the EP and upcoming full-length album in Los Angeles with producer Joey Waronker (the Eels, Lisa Germano) and engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Outkast, Beck). You can check out songs from the EP at - Other Lives' MySpace page

Vadar Is The Band In A Box

MMP reports: Their reputation as the best death metal band around is undisputable. The year 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Vader. Today, Metal Mind Productions re-release four Vader's albums in metal boxes: "Future of the Past / Black to the Blind" and "Revelations / Blood". The premiere of both metal boxes is scheduled for 13th October 2008!

The album "Future of the Past" (1996) consists entirely of cover tracks (Sodom, Terrorizer, Celtic Frost, Black Sabbath or even… Depeche Mode). "Black to the Blind" (1997) is Vader's third studio album, originally released in October 1997. Both titles include a bonus track! "Revelations" and the mini album "Blood" were both released in 2002. The album "Revelations" is enhanced with a multimedia section! - more on this story

Yes (with a cover singer) Announce In the Present Tour Dates

PR reports: YES concerts have always been very special events, and this winter's "In the Present" tour, hitting a total of 30 cities in November and December, will be no different, as Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White play selections from hit albums like Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans and 90125 along with audience favorites like "Roundabout," "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "I've Seen All Good People," some of the enduring classics that have made YES the most influential and groundbreaking progressive group in rock & roll.

The tour will get underway at the Hamilton Place Theater in Hamilton, ON, on Nov. 4 and run through Dec. 17 at the Hard Rock Casino in Miami., featuring guitarist Howe, bassist Squire and drummer White, joined by keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, the son of YES' Rick Wakeman, and vocalist Benoit David, a Montreal, Quebec, native and vocalist in several YES tribute groups, who was discovered by the band on the Internet and invited on the tour. - more on this story

Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs Announce New Release

conqueroo reports: Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs, the London-based duo of Holly and Lawyer Dave, will cross the Atlantic soon after the October 14 release of their new album, Dirt Don't Hurt (Transdreamer Records).

In addition to preparing for their 27-city U.S. tour, which starts on November 6 in the Washington, DC area and runs through a December 11 finale in Atlanta, Holly & the Brokeoffs are relocating to America. Not Brooklyn, not Nashville, not Austin but rather the backwoods of Georgia.

Regarding the move, Holly says, "The original idea was to live somewhere rural, easy and warm. Georgia is all those things and more. For [me], it resembles England enough to feel familiar and for Dave it resembles [his native] Texas enough to keep his gun collection. Future plans for the farm include moonshining, recording studio, miniature animal ranching, illegal architecture, and founding the one true church." - more on this story

Unsigned Band Offered The Chance To Appear on CD with Rob Zombie, Seether, Rise Against and more

PR reports: Your unsigned band has the opportunity to appear alongside such established bands as Rob Zombie, Senses Fail, Rise Against, Seether, and Justice on the soundtrack for the upcoming Lionsgate film, The Punisher: War Zone.

One Grand Prize winner will have their song featured in the movie and included on the soundtrack album. The winner will also receive $5,000 and a possible recording contract!

The winner will be selected from a panel of judges from Lionsgate and Shaun Morgan from Seether! - more on this story

Boom Boom Satellites Celebrate 10 Years of Exposure

PR reports: On October 14, Japanese dance rock pioneers Boom Boom Satellites (aka bassist/programmer Masayuki Nakano and guitarist/vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima) celebrates their 10-year anniversary with the digital release of "Exposed."

Boom Boom Satellites are widely considered one of the first true "dance rock" band's (the genre didn't even exist back then) and their impact is felt in the music of some of today's most popular artists.

"Exposed" offers 12 tracks that blends philosophical lyrics and an untamed physical rave experience with the toughness of rock'n'roll and the precision of electronic programming. - more on this story

What's He Building In Canada?

PR reports: Southern Ontario's newest progressive metal force What's He Building In There? have announced their upcoming tour of Eastern Canada with We The Undersigned.

The tour begins in Fredericton, NB on October 1st and runs through Southern Ontario, ending October 23rd in Hamilton.

What's He Building In There? is touring in support of their self-titled debut album, released on Year Of The Sun Records last year. - more on this story

A Year After Radiohead's Gamble, Where Do We Go Now?

Guest Editorial reports: We are pleased today to present you with a guest editorial from someone who is in the trenches of the digital revolution of the music business. While the traditional music business is still largely stuck in a 20th century mindset and fighting the digital future while they should be embracing it, the indies are looking at ways to harness the change and opportunities of the changing landscape, so they can lead the music business into the 21st century. Alex Grange is the CEO of a company that is taking on conventional thinking and trying to open the doors for unsigned artists to buck the system and succeed. Time will tell is he will be successful but today Alex give us his vision for the future of the music business.

"Radiohead revisited: how their unorthodox release kick started the digital distribution revolution" by Alex Grange: October 10, 2008 marks the one year anniversary of Radiohead's "In Rainbows," which was initially released as a digital download, and immediately thereafter, as a standard CD. The album was released in North America on January 1, 2008. In Rainbows was Radiohead's first release after the end of their contract with EMI and the end of the longest gap between studio albums in their career.

In Rainbows innovated a new way that music could be distributed online. This was a release that smacked the face-of convention, and took a bold step towards the future of independent distribution.

Some say it was brilliant. Others like Trent Reznor called it a "Bait and Switch." Whatever the case, now in its aftermath, we are left with the burning question: what is the future of music distribution? The simple answer of course is, "it is always changing."

Radiohead revolutionized the independent distribution model. By allowing listeners to determine the value of their blood, sweat, and tears, our very consumerist society was turned on its head. Radiohead offered their album online for three months at an open rate.

In the spirit of experimentation, people were encouraged to pay what they thought a fair price would be for the download. According to ComScore, many listeners offered approximately $6 for the CD. Some priced the album lower, some substantially higher, and yet others deemed downloading the CD at no cost was their right as a Web user.

Radiohead is not the first band on the planet to exploit the promises of the Internet and online distribution, but they were the first world renowned rock stars to do it. As one of the first major label bands to kick-start the model of online distribution, Radiohead's unprecedented experiment raised discussion in the music industry about the viability of the Internet as the latest musical distribution tool. - more

. Hydrogyn - Deadly Passions

One may think that Hydrogyn is a band that relies on the seductive qualities of lead singer and they're right. However, there's more to the band than Julie Westlake. The material on Deadly Passions is better than most and the songs are all well crafted. (3.5 stars) - Read the full Hydrogyn - Deadly Passions review

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