Michae Anthony talks about why he's not in VH

Nothing really new here or that we didn't know, but a very frank telling of why he's no longer Van Halen's bass player, from Blabbermouth.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=148124

Anthony explained, "Some VAN HALEN fans say I left the band to hook up with Sammy, but I never said, 'I quit.' There was nothing going on in the VAN HALEN camp, but Eddie kinda backed me up against a wall. . . Eddie felt that I was a traitor.

He went on to say, "The major reason why I'm not in VAN HALEN (now) is because I became friends with Sammy again. The Van Halen brothers never got over that. If they hold a grudge, they hold it forever."

Well, not forever maybe, but they can definitely hold a grudge for a long time.

Van Halen to Tour in 2011?

So says Irving Azoff, who owns or manages the entire music industry. Of course, Van Halen's official site says nothing, but it's not exactly known for breaking news.
Here's what the Rolling Stone article says, in part:

Van Halen will return to the road in 2011 — or so said Live Nation Ticketmaster chairman Irving Azoff, in a meeting with analysts meant to show that the outlook for next year's concert circuit will brighten. Van Halen, with David Lee Roth, last toured together in June 2008. According to USA Today , Azoff, who is also Van Halen's manager, named Van Halen, Christina Aguilera, Fleetwood Mac and the cast of Glee as some of the artists that are expected to pack stadium and arenas when they embark on tours next year. Van Halen's 2008 tour grossed $93 million for Live Nation.

We'll see. And if they are going to tour again, does that mean new music could be on the way? Finally? Please??

Four Chords is All You Need

I think everyone who's ever really studied pop music kind of know this, but this is pretty cool anyway.

http://wimp.com/songchords

Marshall USA?

I'm not sure if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or neither, but Marshall is apparently splitting off its US operations:

Marshall Amplification announced today the formation of Marshall USA. This new business unit will begin operation on October 1st, and shipments to dealers will begin October 18th. Jon Ellery, Marshall UK Co-managing Director announced that Marc Lee Shannon will assume the position of VP Sales for Marshall USA on October 1st. Marc Lee is a long term industry veteran, who spent the last 17 years heading sales with Audio Technica. Jon Ellery also announced that Ryan Rhodes has been named the Brand Director for Marshall USA and will lead the product direction and work closely with Marshall UK to insure a coordinated worldwide effort. Ryan is very familiar with the Marshall heritage, having worked in past Marshall distribution in the US for 15 years. More Marshall dedicated management will be added shortly, with announcements to follow.

The rest is here:

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/Daily/News/Marshall_Announces_Formation_of_Marshall_USA.aspx

It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Re-mixing China Grove

I've always thought it would be cool to have the chance to re-mix a classic recording. Not that I think I could necessarily do better (though sometimes...), but it would be cool just to be able to hear the tracks in their raw form.

Chris Baseford gets to do just that, re-mixing them for an iPhone app called Jammit.

Here's his take on "China Grove", one of the Doobie Brothers' most famous tracks, originally engineered and produced by Ted Templeman and Donn Landee, one of my favorite production teams of the 70's.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2010/Jul/Secrets_of_the_Masters_The_Doobie_Brothers_China_Grove.aspx

This bit here pretty much spells out my whole philosophy when it comes to recording - get the sound at the source, rather than trying to "fix it in the mix".

I wasn’t all that surprised to see (and hear) everything laid-out and organized nicely, and immediately sounding familiar with the faders at zero and without EQ or effects.

The Triple Decker Record?

If you thought there was nothing new going on in the world of vinyl records, behold the Triple Decker Record - a 12" with a 7" inside! From those clever folks at United Record Pressing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ3c3WZ-3UU

A classical voice teacher rates classic metal singers

Hasn't been much going on recently, but I thought this was interesting. Claudia Friedlander, a NYC based voice teacher, rates classic metal singers including Bruce Dickinson and Ronnie James Dio.

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/07/ask-a-real-musician-5-classic-male-metal-singers/

Interesting piece that basically confirms what I already knew - Bruce and Rob Halford (among others) can sing! I could have told you that after seeing Priest and Maiden on tour together in '82.

New Van Halen Album in 2011?

As usual, I preface this with my normal "believe it when I see it disclaimer", but this snippet from Blabbermouth.net quotes Warner/Chappell as saying that Van Halen is working on a new album with David Lee Roth, due out in 2011.

Warner/Chappell Music has extended its administration agreements with two original members of the legendary rock band VAN HALEN, Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Under the agreement, Warner/Chappell will continue to administer their catalog of works...
Most recently, the band toured with founding brothers, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, its original lead singer, David Lee Roth, and Eddie's son, Wolfgang, playing bass. The group is currently in the studio recording an album with Roth that is due for release in 2011.

As I said, time will tell. I'll buy it if they put it out. I'd like to see the band live one more time with Roth, too. I missed the 2008 tour, so the last time I saw Van Halen with David Lee Roth was 1984. Now, if they could just get Mike Anthony back...

The History of the Music Industry - 1960's to Present

Bob Lefsetz has an interesting short history of the music industry - including its recent floundering - over on the Encore site. It explains pretty nicely the changes over the last 45 years or so, including the phase we're in now, which I argue is a return to the "single driven" market that existed before groups like the Beatles ushered in the age of the album. He also tells it like it is with regard to the industry's failure to adapt and realize that their "goldrush" of the 70's and 80's was over. If the IT market had been similarly inflexible, I wouldn't be typing this now.

Read the article here:

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=260&articleId=36040

Here's a nice little snippet:

2000-2010

The major labels bitched themselves into irrelevancy. They own radio and TV, which is like owning the "Perry Como Show" when everybody's tuned into FM. And since the "Como Show"'s ratings are declining, they make everybody who appears sign a contract coughing up a percentage of all their revenue. It's unfair. And who wants to watch the "Como Show" anyway?

Yep, that pretty much says it.

Could Music Videos Be Coming to MTV Once Again?

First, Beavis and Butt-head return to MTV. What's next, videos?


http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/they_re_back_PZVN8lcKHQYVIYx3xAJRtM?sms_ss=facebook

They're back!
Heh heh, it's 1995 all over again, dude

By MICHAEL STARR

'Beavis and Butt-head" -- the show that celebrated the slacker way of life and helped make MTV into a network that did more than just play music videos -- is coming back.

The move to resurrect the hugely popular 1990s animated anti-heroes has been rumored for several days. But yesterday, sources at MTV confirmed that a new batch of "Beavis and Butt-head" episodes are in the works.

It would certainly be ironic, since the success of shows like Beavis and Butt-head is what steered MTV away from videos and into "other" programming to start with.

Rik Emmett says Van Halen is Booking a Tour?

Sure, sure. I'll hold my breath:

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Rik-Emmett-713/

According to Rik Emmett in an interview with Gibson Lifestyle:

We’re scheduled to go for a dinner tonight with a couple of guys from Live Nation that have flown into town and want to take us to dinner. I’m sure there’s going to be some sort of a pitch. The rumors that have been sort of blowing in the wind are that Van Halen want to go back out yet again next year, but they’re going to need some sort of support to make the packaging a little more interesting. Because Triumph hasn’t really ever toured in any kind of a nostalgia way, I think Live Nation kind of goes, “Oh, yeah, you guys would be perfect for that.” So, we’ll see sort of the size and the shape and the glitter of the golden carrots that they have.

Rumors About New Van Halen Album Just That - Rumors

Well, I did say I'd believe it when I saw it, and Rolling Stone quotes the recently minted Mrs. Eddie Van Halen, who also happens to be Eddie's spokesperson, as saying that to her knowledge, nothing is going on.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/152865

The web was abuzz with rumors that Van Halen had completed a new album — the first with David Lee Roth back as lead singer — over July Fourth weekend, with a "source" even telling MelodicRock.com that a first single is due at the end of the year. The report also claimed that the new album, the classic Van Halen lineup's first since 1984, was nearly halfway complete and that it would be released in the first half of 2011. However, Eddie Van Halen's wife and spokesperson Janie Van Halen has denied the report to Rolling Stone. "What is going around is exactly that, rumors. I don't have any updates at this time," Janie Van Halen said.

Bummer.

So, I continue to wait and hope...

And wait, and hope...

Van Halen - "Light at the end of the tunnel"?

Posted today at melodicrock.com

VAN HALEN - POSSIBLE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?:
It's been a while since I reached out to one of my best sources of Van
Halen info over the years, but it had to be done. And I got the
information I was hoping for - independent confirmation from a long
time source I trust that Van Halen are indeed working towards finishing
recording of a long awaited new studio album with David Lee Roth, set
for release sometime in the first half of 2011. A single is slated for
release before the end of this year, but exact timing still remains
very much up in the air. I'm told the relationship between Eddie and
Dave remains as complex as ever, but there is a definite desire to get
a new record completed.

We've heard similar before, so I remain skeptical. Still, fingers crossed. If nothing else, Eddie might be interested in touring to drum up interest in his guitar gear line.

Some of WOXY Survives

No, not the station, unfortunately. WOXY.com is still off the air, maybe for good. But one of the things that made WOXY so valuable to me and countless others was all the great new music it brought to our attention.
To that end, here's a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak situation. Mike Taylor, the Program Director of WOXY.com and a DJ from WOXY's FM days going way back now has his own blog. Check it out:

http://thisisthebigbeat.blogspot.com/

He's hit the ground running already with some great new music recommendations. So, even if we can't hear the best new music on WOXY right now, at least we've still got Mike pointing us in the right direction.

Will Major Labels be Extinct by Year's End?

That's what Radiohead's Thom Yorke thinks:

http://blogs.chron.com/celebritybuzz/2010/06/radiohead_frontman_music_indus.html

I've been saying for a long time I think the big labels are irrelevant in today's "do it yourself" music market. I mean, why do you need them?

To pay for expensive recording studios? Nope. Artists can record their own material affordably these days.

The expense of producing CD's? Really? Does anybody even press CD's any more? I don't think I've walked into a "record store" and bought a CD in the last five years. Even for gifts, I send people electronic gift certificates to iTunes or Amazon.

To handle distribution? Hardly. Anybody can distribute his own material on the two biggest online markets, Amazon.com and iTunes, through services like TuneCore.

Here's the relevant portion of the article:

In an interview for a new high school textbook called The Rax Active Citizen Toolkit, which aims to inspire youngsters to become more politically literate, Yorke claims the music industry is on the verge of a major crisis and could collapse completely within "months".

He says, "It will be only a matter of time - months rather than years - before the music business establishment completely folds. (It will be) no great loss to the world."

Do I believe the labels and record companies will be out of business by Christmas? No, but I do think their time is short, and I blame them for their own demise, for refusing to see and adapt to the changing market. And now arguably, it's too late. They're headed straight for the iceberg.
They're sinking, that much is certain. The only question is how long they've got.

Bets, anyone?

More News on New Van Halen Material?

More to file under "I'll believe it when I hear it", but the Van Halen News Desk posted this snippet from John 5, aka John Lowry, former DLR guitarist:

http://www.vhnd.com/2010/05/28/john-5-on-van-halen-they-are-writing-right-now-at-5150-eddie-is-on-fire/

Shredding mastermind John 5 recently joined the Hard Rock Nights radio program to talk about his new solo record, The Art Of Malice, and working with Rob Zombie, David Lee Roth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rob Halford, Lita Ford, etc.

John talks about working with David Lee Roth on his DLR Band CD at 1:59 into the interview. Then at 5:06 they ask him about Eddie…

Q: “Now Dave, of course, is back in Van Halen, last we heard…”

A: “Yes.”

Q: “Have you met Eddie? Have you gotten to sit down and talk with him any?”

A: “Oh yeah me and Eddie are good friends. He’s a great guy, you know, he’s doing great, playing great and looks great. He’s on fire right now. They’re writing right now, at Eddie’s place - at 5150 - and he is on fire right now.”

A "new Van Halen record"? I'll believe it when I hear it

Here's a quote from Dweezil Zappa on current Van Halen activity - which for those of you who don't follow the VH saga, is kind of linke getting news on the progress of the third Boston album.

The whole article is here:

http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles/55956/dweezil-zappa-the-next-phase-of-zappa-plays-zappa.html

And here's the quote that VH fans will be interested in:

"It’s
kind of funny, because I’ve recently been spending some time with Eddie
Van Halen after being out of touch for a while. He was playing me some
new stuff from his record..."

Well, as I said, I'll believe it when I hear it. Do I hope we really are close to the first VH record in 12 years? Absolutely, but Eddie's been "working on new stuff" for at least ten years - they were in the middle of cutting the follow up to "3" when Warner Bros. pulled the plug in '99, and though Eddie has, by his own estimation about ten albums' worth of music queued up, none of it has hit the light of day.
Not that there haven't been positive signs. The '08 tour with David Lee Roth back at the VH helm went a lot better than the previous tour with Sammy Hagar, and Eddie is reported to be as clean as Eddie gets. Still, if there were Vegas odds on the release of a new record in 2010, they'd be pretty long.
I guess I'll just continue to wait and see.

Axl Rose Sues Irving Azoff - for trying to get GnR back together?

The drama that is/was Guns 'n' Roses apparently will never end. The latest is Axl Rose suing Irving Azoff for $5 million, for among other things, trying to orchestrate a reunion of the "band", which for the past decade or so has basically just been Axl.


Read the whole story here: http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/05/guns-n-roses-reunion-.html#more

In part:

Axl Rose says his former manager tried to implement a scheme to force him to reunite with the original Guns N' Roses band members and, as part of the plot, failed to properly promote the "Chinese Democracy" album, lied about a prospective Van Halen super tour and mishandled the band's tour dates.

The claims are part of a bombshell countersuit filed yesterday against Irving Azoff's Front Line Management. In March, Azoff sued Rose, claiming the rocker violated an oral agreement to pay 15% of earnings, or nearly $2 million, from a lucrative concert tour.

We've Moved!

After over ten years in our previous location, Bloodspoint Studio has moved. We're fully functional. Not everything is pretty enough for pictures yet, but here are a couple:

Well, this is about 10 years too late...

Universal announces test of new pricing structure for CD's.

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i56ed42b9a46f8554e2671afccecca01b

The Universal Music Group could rewrite U.S. music pricing when it tests a new frontline pricing structure, which is designed to get single CDs in stores at $10, or below.

Beginning in the second quarter and continuing through most of the year, the company's Velocity program will test lower CD prices. Single CDs will have the suggested list prices of $10, $9, $8, $7 and $6.

If they'd done this about ten years ago, it might actually have helped to save CD's. As it is now, CD's have been too pricey for too long, and online music from iTunes and Amazon just has too strong a foothold. Plus, they still don't entirely get it:

To accommodate the lower pricing, UMG labels also plan to step up deluxe versions of albums that can sell at higher prices for the more devout music fans and collectors. UMG is also banking that the lower price points will at the least be offset by increasing CD sales volume.

It's not like they're losing money on CD's now. They've been overpriced since they came out, initially because it supposedly cost so much to produce them. And selling stripped down versions for what should be the price of the full album just misses the point altogether.