American Songwriter » Feature3

Virgin Festival Is Free This Year

americansongwriter — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:05:01 +0000

Multi-industry moguls at Virgin Group announce recession-friendly festival -Avery Spofford While most of this summer’s popular music festivals will cost attendees upwards of several hundred dollars (tickets to Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza run at $240 and $205, respectively), music fans can look forward to a budget option thanks to leading media innovators Virgin Group. Earlier this week, the corporation announced the lineup for its annual Virgin Festival as well as the concert’s ticket price: completely free. Virgin Festival has become one of summer’s premier festival destinations, featuring acts including Wilco, Kanye West, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bob Dylan since its inception in 2006. Tickets to last year’s festival cost $175 for two days of music headlined by Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson and Kanye West. This year’s lineup, topped by Blink-182 and Weezer, has been criticized as a downgrade from that of previous festivals: both acts are arguably past their prime years. The headliners are, however, supported by an impressive sampler of today’s most relevant artists: mash-up mastermind Girl Talk, of-the-moment singer/songwriter St. Vincent, electronica innovators Holy Fuck and Brooklyn indie darlings The National are just a few of the artists already signed on to the festival. Virgin cites the failing world economy as the reason for the festival’s cost (or lack thereof): the group calls the concert a “gift” to music fans with financial woes. The free festival does, however, come with a karmic catch: Virgin asks that festival-goers donate a minimum of $5 to the corporation’s youth homelessness charity initiative, RE*genegeneration. Donations can be made by texting “Freefest” to 20222 or by visiting https://www.virginmobilefestival.com/donate.

Jay Bennett’s Death Ruled an Accidental Overdose

Evan Schlansky — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:17:23 +0000

Ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett's died of an accidental overdose from the pain killer fentanyl, authorities have determined. Bennett died on May 24 in his home in Urbana, Illinois. He was 45. As a co-writer, producer and instrumentalist, Bennett was an integral part of Wilco from 1994 to 2001.

Fentanyl is used to treat chronic pain. Shortly before his death, Bennett blogged about his need for hip surgery, stating that he lacked health insurance to cover the operation. Earlier in May, he filed a lawsuit against Wilco founder Jeff Tweedy, claiming he was due money from royalties.

Bennett will be sorely missed. Here's an illuminating article from Art Voice, featuring a 2002 interview that's well worth a read.

Stream Regina Spektor’s “Far” on NPR

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:41:41 +0000

NPR has your hookup.

Regina Spektor's lovely new album, Far, won't be out until next Tuesday. But you can stream the entire album right now, on NPR.org, as part of their "Exclusive First Listen" series. Hear new tracks like "Blue Lips," "Dance Anthem," and the lead single, "Laughing With."

Great Quotations: Kurt Cobain

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:37:41 +0000

My lyrics are a big pile of contradictions. They're split down the middle between very sincere opinions and feelings that I have and sarcastic and hopeful, humorous rebuttles towards cliche, bohemian ideals that have been exhausted for years. I mean I like to be passionate and sincere, but I also like to have fun and act like a dork." - Kurt Cobain

Who Should Win at This Year’s CMT Music Awards?

Evan Schlansky — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:29:28 +0000

Will Taylor Swift grab all the gold?

Hey, Country music lovers -- who do you want to win at tomorrow night's annual CMT Music Awards? Some 2.5 million people voted for the final nominees for this year's Award show, which airs at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on June 16. Taylor Swift, up for four awards, will do a song with the king of auto-tune, T-Pain. You can also expect to see live performances from Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Keith Urban and the good ol' boys in Def Leppard.

Here's a list of this year's nominees. Who are you rooting for?

Video of the Year:
Trace Adkins - You’re Gonna Miss This
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
Toby Keith - God Love Her
Kid Rock - All Summer Long
Lady Antebellum - Lookin’ For A Good Time
Brad Paisley - Waitin’ On A Woman
Rascal Flatts - Every Day
Sugarland - All I Want To Do
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Carrie Underwood - Just A Dream

Male Video of the Year:
Trace Adkins - You’re Gonna Miss This
Toby Keith - God Love Her
Brad Paisley - Waitin’ On A Woman
Keith Urban - Sweet Thing

Female Video of the Year:
Miranda Lambert - More Like Her
Martina McBride - Ride
Kellie Pickler - Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful
Taylor Swift - Love Story

Group Video of the Year:
Lady Antebellum - Lookin’ For A Good Time
Rascal Flatts - Bob That Head
Rascal Flatts - Every Day
Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried

Duo Video of the Year:
Brooks & Dunn - Put A Girl In It
Montgomery Gentry - Roll With Me
Sugarland - All I Want To Do
Sugarland - Already Gone

USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year:
Julianne Hough - That Song In My Head
Jamey Johnson - In Color
Lady Antebellum - Lookin For A Good Time
Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried

Collaborative Video of the Year:
Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire - Cowgirls Don’t Cry
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
Brad Paisley with Keith Urban - Start A Band
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen - Life In A Northern Town

CMT Performance of the Year:
Alan Jackson featuring Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and George Strait - Country Boy from CMT Giants: Alan Jackson
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) from CMT Crossroads: Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen - Life In A Northern Town from the 2008 CMT Music Awards
Def Leppard and Taylor Swift - Photograph from CMT Crossroads: Def Leppard and Taylor Swift

Wide Open Country Video of the Year:
Def Leppard and Taylor Swift - Photograph
Kid Rock - All Summer Long
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Please Read The Letter
Rehab featuring Hank Williams, Jr. - Bartender Song

Video Director of the Year:
Deaton Flanigan
Trey Fanjoy
Roman White
Peter Zavadil

Weird Al Lights Our Fire

Evan Schlansky — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:29:41 +0000

"Got a trash can of Styrofoam peanuts, you can have 'em for free."

Not sure what's better -- the goofy lyrics to Weird Al Yankovic's new, Doors-biting single, "Craigslist," or the perfectly realized period piece video. As Yankovic, dressed like Jim Morrison, sings lines about selling junk and missed personal encounters, psychedelic colors and trippy desert vistas parody everything we once thought was cool. Love the spoken word interlude.

Do you realize Weird Al has had a 30 year career in the music industry? His first hit was 1979's "My Sharona" send up "My Balogna."

Check it out on YouTube.

Next Big Nashville 2009 Artist Submissions Announced

americansongwriter — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:07:37 +0000

This year's Next Big Nashville promises to be the biggest and brightest yet with three days of conference programming and venues throughout the city taken over by fans and artists alike for showcases and parties. American Songwriter is ecstatic to be involved in this year's NBN, as both the host technology platform for NBN artist submissions and also the co-producer of the Friday Hands On Interactive conference. The submission process is open from now until July 13 and all artists selected will be notified by August 13. While NBN celebrates the creativity of Nashville, don't forget that the entry process is open to artists worldwide. http://www.americansongspace.com/submission/NBN09

Lemonheads to General Motors: It’s a Shame You Stole Our Song

Evan Schlansky — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:22:49 +0000

It's sue-zapalooza. Evan Dando of the Lemonheads is feeling litigious. The singer-songwriter filed suit in Los Angeles court last week, claiming General Motors copied the melody to the band's 1992 song "It's A Shame About Ray" in a 2008 ad campaign. The ad, which does not feature any lyrics, uses whistling to convey the melody. Dando is seeking damages and a portion of profits from the ad campaign. Mr. Dando is the subject of our Q&A in the upcoming anniversary issue of American Songwriter. The Lemonheads' latest album, Varshons, which is produced by Gibby Haynes and features guest spots from Kate Moss and Liv Tyler, is out 6/23. Here's the GM commercial in question:

Rhino to Release the Mother of all Woodstock Albums

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:47:01 +0000

"What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for 400,000."

On August 18, Rhino will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts Festival with Woodstock -- 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm, featuring 38 previously unreleased tracks. In addition, June 2 will see the reissue of the long out-of- print Woodstock movie soundtrack, and it's follow-up album, Woodstock Two.

40 Years On is a 6 CD-set containing 77 tantalizing tracks.

Thanks, Rhino.

From the press release: "To assemble the most comprehensive document of the myth-steeped weekend, the boxed set's co-producer Andy Zax pored over every inch of multitrack tape in search of the strongest parts of each of the 33 sets. "The way we approached all of the material was as if it was a cinéma verité documentary--the raw record of the event," Zax says. In addition to the music, the set offers considerable amount of ancillary material sprinkled throughout the discs--stage announcements, lysergic babble, the sounds of rain, a cameo appearance by Abbie Hoffman, and the graciousness of Max Yasgur's address to the crowd, heard for the first time in its entirety.

Another significant byproduct of WOODSTOCK--40 YEARS ON: BACK TO YASGUR'S FARM is that, by virtue of its size and rigorously chronological sequence, it gets closer to a sense of the performances as they occurred in real time than any previous compilation. For the first time, the complete and accurate set lists will be available in the boxed set's booklet. Some Woodstock aficionados will be taken aback by the actual order of the performances; it differs from both various written accounts and from Michael Wadleigh's film Woodstock, which takes certain liberties with chronology in order to maintain its narrative flow."

WOODSTOCK--40 YEARS ON: BACK TO YASGUR'S FARM Track Listing:

Disc 1

1. "Handsome Johnny" - Richie Havens
2. "Freedom (Motherless Child)" - Richie Havens
3. "Choppity Choppity" - John Morris
4. "Look Out" - Sweetwater
5. "Two Worlds" - Sweetwater *
6. "Jennifer" - Bert Sommer *
7. "And When It's Over" - Bert Sommer *
8. "Smile" - Bert Sommer *
9. "There Goes Marilyn!" - John Morris
10. "Hang On To A Dream" - Tim Hardin *
11. "Simple Song Of Freedom" - Tim Hardin *
12. "Flat Blue Acid" - John Morris
13. "Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital" - Ravi Shankar *
14. "Momma Momma" - Melanie *
15. "Beautiful People" - Melanie
16. "Birthday Of The Sun" - Melanie
17. "Coming Into Los Angeles" - Arlo Guthrie ***
18. "Wheel Of Fortune" - Arlo Guthrie *
19. "Every Hand In The Land" - Arlo Guthrie *
20. "All You Funny People"- John Morris

Disc 2
1. "Joe Hill"- Joan Baez
2. "Sweet Sir Galahad" - Joan Baez
3. "Hickory Wind" - Joan Baez *
4. "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" - Joan Baez w/Jeffrey Shurtleff
5. "Bring Scully His Asthma Pills" - John Morris
6. "Insulin" & Quill Intro - John Morris
7. "They Live The Life" - Quill *
8. "That's How I Eat" - Quill *
9. "I Understand Your Wife Is Having A Baby" -Chip Monck
10. "Donovan's Reef" - Country Joe McDonald *
11. "The 'Fish' Cheer"/"I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" - Country Joe
McDonald
12. "Persuasion" - Santana
13. "Soul Sacrifice" - Santana
14. "How Have You Been" - John B. Sebastian
15. "Rainbows All Over Your Blues" - John B. Sebastian
16. "I Had A Dream" - John B. Sebastian
17. "The Letter" - Incredible String Band *
18. "When You Find Out Who You Are" - Incredible String Band *
19. "She Is Lost"- Chip Monck

Disc 3
1. "We're In Pretty Good Shape" - Chip Monck
2. "Going Up The Country" - Canned Heat
3. "Woodstock Boogie" - Canned Heat **
4. "The Brown Acid Is Not Specifically Too Good" - Chip Monck
5. "Blood Of The Sun" - Mountain ***
6. "Theme For An Imaginary Western" - Mountain ***
7. "For Yasgur's Farm" - Mountain *
8. "For Those Of You Who Have Partaken Of The Green Acid" - Chip Monck
9. "Green Acid Advice" - Jerry Garcia & Country Joe McDonald
10. "Dark Star" - Grateful Dead *
11. "Green River"- Creedence Clearwater Revival
12. "Bad Moon Rising" - Creedence Clearwater Revival *
13. "I Put A Spell On You" - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Disc 4
1. "Work Me, Lord" - Janis Joplin
2. "Ball And Chain" - Janis Joplin
3. Medley: "Dance To The Music"/"Music Lover"/"I Want To Take You
Higher"- Sly & The Family Stone
4. "The Politics Of The Situation" - Abbie Hoffman
5. "Amazing Journey" - The Who *
6. "Pinball Wizard" - The Who *
7. Abbie Hoffman vs. Pete Townshend
8. "We're Not Gonna Take It" - The Who **
9. "The Other Side Of This Life" - Jefferson Airplane *
10. "Somebody To Love" - Jefferson Airplane
11. "Won't You Try"/ "Saturday Afternoon" - Jefferson Airplane
12. "We Got A Whole Lot Of Orange" - Grace Slick
13. "Volunteers" - Jefferson Airplane
14. "Breakfast In Bed For 400,000" -Wavy Gravy
15. "It Just Keeps Goin'"- John Morris
16. Max Yasgur Speaks

Disc 5
1. "Feelin' Alright" - Joe Cocker *
2. "Let's Go Get Stoned" - Joe Cocker
3. "With A Little Help From My Friends" - Joe Cocker
4. The Rainstorm
5. "Rock & Soul Music" - Country Joe & The Fish
6. "Love" - Country Joe & The Fish *
7. "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" - Country Joe & The Fish *
8. "Summer Dresses"- Country Joe & The Fish *
9. "Silver and Gold"- Country Joe & The Fish *
10. "Rock & Soul Music" (Reprise) - Country Joe & The Fish *
11. "Leland Mississippi Blues" - Johnny Winter *
12. "Mean Town Blues" - Johnny Winter
13. "You've Made Me So Very Happy" - Blood Sweat & Tears *

Disc 6
1. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" - Crosby Stills & Nash
2. "Guinnevere" - Crosby Stills & Nash
3. "Marrakesh Express" - Crosby Stills & Nash
4. "4 + 20" - Crosby Stills & Nash
5. "Sea Of Madness" - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
6. "Wooden Ships" - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
7. "No Amount Of Loving" - The Butterfield Blues Band *
8. "Love March" - The Butterfield Blues Band
9. "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" - The Butterfield Blues Band
10. "Get A Job" - Sha Na Na *
11. "At The Hop" - Sha Na Na
12. "Get A Job" (Reprise) - Sha Na Na *
13. "The Star Spangled Banner" - Jimi Hendrix
"Purple Haze" - Jimi Hendrix
"Woodstock Improvisation" - Jimi Hendrix
14. "Woodstock Farewell" - Chip Monck

*Previously Unissued = never before released

**Previously Unissued Full-Length Version = previously released on a
Woodstock title in edited form.

***Previously Unissued Woodstock Recording = presenting the actual
Woodstock performances here for the first time.

R.I.P. Koko Taylor, Queen of the Blues

Evan Schlansky — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:17:27 +0000

Koko Taylor, the Queen of the Blues, has died at the age of 80, from complications from heart surgery. Taylor, the daughter of a Tennessee sharecropper, earned her nickname for her gritty voice and soulful delivery. Willie Dixon signed her to Chess Records in 1962, and wrote her most popular single, "Wang Dang Doodle," which became a smash hit in 1965, selling over a million copies. Taylor, who later recorded for Alligator Records, was nominated for seven Grammys, winning one in 1984 for her performance on the album Blues Explosion. "The passion that she brought and the fire and the growl in her voice when she sang was the truth," Blues singer and musician Ronnie Baker Brooks said Wednesday. "The music will live on, but it's much better because of Koko. It's a huge loss."