Def Sign

 

Russell Simmons owns a loft right next to Ground Zero. He hasn't been able to use it since 9/11, but he managed to get his mate Glen E. Friedman in. Here's what he did. Read the comments too, they are hilarious.

The Guardian reports that "New research suggesting that file sharing has no impact upon sales of CDs has, not surprisingly, angered the music industry."

"... So, if downloading hasn't caused the slump in sales, what has? There are several factors that could be involved, but the easiest explanation is the popularity of DVDs.
"Over the period 1999 to 2003, DVD prices fell by 25% and the price of players fell in the US from over $1,000 to almost nothing," says Strumpf. "At the same time, CD prices went up by 10%. Combined DVD and VHS tape sales went up by 500m, while CD sales fell by 200m, so a possible explanation is that people were spending on DVDs instead of CDs."
More here.

Rock band in media punch up.
Noizyland had a few problems getting an interview out of the Mint Chicks.

"Far too busy and important for a face-to-face or even phone interview, their record company FMR contacted this website to offer an email interview with 'the boys', who had just returned from an excursion to Britain and the United States. We at Noizyland dutifully fired them off a list of questions. How did your meetings go with Geffen, we asked? How large and receptive were the crowds you played to overseas? According to the Americans you met, where can NZ be found on the map? Were you able to communicate clearly and easily?

FMR thought our questions were very good. This pleased us, as we have been working as music journalists now for a very long time and according to a myriad bands, both famous and in this case, not so, we have so far had nothing but praise when it comes to our question-asking skills.

Sadly for us, however, The Mint Chicks' manager John Baker disliked them and said he would not pass them on to the band. When pressed, he added that he was 'unhappy with the tone' of the questions. When pressed still further by FMR, he replied, rather sulkily if we may say so, that he no longer wanted to proceed with the interview."

It's like how no journalist bothered to ask the Beastie Boys (during their round of interviews for their latest album) hey, why does Mike D look half dead? No one asked what the hell have you done for 6 years while hiphop passed you by?

Quote of the Week.
 'Juliette Lewis just vomits on stage. I'd rather stick a finger up her ass than hear that again. Her sound is that bad. She's that commercial, man.
"She's no artist. And as for her acting career ... Did you ever see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ? What a demanding role that was... She's just one of those religious freaks. It's her and John Travolta leading from the front line.'  Ryan from New York band The Rebels, on Juliette Lewis and her band the Licks on the Warped Tour. Read more on Ms Lewis impending rock stardom here.


Are you the Fifty Quid Bloke? He's the saviour of the music industry.

Why Tom Atkinson is the coolest drummer in Auckland.
Channel surfing on Saturday evening, and I ended up watching that Kiwi knockoff of Top of the Pops with Alex whatshisface surrounded by Teenage Girls Who Will Scream At Anything, and he introduces One Million Dollars. Now, they're a fine bunch of funky types, and there's Tom grooving away behind the drums, and he's wearing a t-shirt that says "Ahmed Zaoui: freedom or fair trial' on national television. And that is why Tom Atkinson is the coolest drummer in Auckland.
And I'd just like to raise a two finger salute in the direction of Eli Cara and Uriel Zoshe Kelman. That is all. Oh yeah, go see The Ramones;End of the Century documentary, it is brilliant. The  live footage of the band playing at CBGBs way back in 1975 is just phenomenal.