I was given a gift card for Barnes & Noble at Christmas and I finally got around to going to the B&N in Grapevine this weekend.  I spent some time in their music section and came across a group called Robinella & the CC String Band.  They’re pretty hard to classify as they mix jazz, bluegrass, and country.

I ripped the CD to MP3 as soon as I got home and I’ve listened to it several times now.  I’m still enjoying it each time, which is a good sign.

If all that stuff we did in the 80’s can be considered culture, that is.  Anyhow, via Jay Solo I took this quiz on 80’s song lyrics.  I missed a few, but I probably knew too many for my own good.

Weird Al Yankovic has finally released a new CD.  Poodle Hat will be out on May 20th.  My copy is already on preorder at Amazon.

Stephen Green’s earlier post about Steely Dan’s new CD reminded me that although I like most of their music I’ve never bought any of it (and no, I haven’t downloaded it either).  I quickly rectified that situation by preordering the new CD as well as ordering some of their previous ones.

I have to say, though, that Amazon makes this entirely too easy.  I’m afraid to total up what I’ve spent with them over the past year.

I’ve seen a number of postings on a variety of weblogs about the latest craptastic idea that is infesting the collective brain cell of the RIAA.  I’m not likely to download music, and I’m even less likely to run some unknown EXE file like “SILENCE” that RIAA is working on (this one will erase all the music files on a computer).

If something like this were to somehow get onto my system, I’d be extremely pissed.  Why?  Because all of my music files were fully paid for by me (all 4736 of them).  I’ve only ever downloaded one song from an MP3 site, and the only reason I did it was that I was a fan of that band and I wanted their new single which wasn’t yet available to purchase.  I had the CD preordered, so it wasn’t like they were losing a sale.

I understand their worry about widespread downloading.  However, I’m strongly of the opinion that a little private sharing actually helps music sales, at least among people like me.  But the RIAA’s heavy-handed tactics are in serious danger of alienating the people like me, who are their serious customers.  I currently own 366 CDs, and I buy 20 to 30 per year.  But I do have to admit that I’m tired of getting CDs just for a couple of songs.  What I want is an online service that lets me buy the songs I like (which is why I’m watching the Apple offering, although it’ll have to come to the PC before I have anything to do with it—and it’d be preferable for me if they had a Linux client, although I can live without it).  However, it must be unencumbered by silly DRM schemes.  I’m perfectly willing to pay for my music, but I am most decidedly not willing to pay for the priviledge of being treated as a potential criminal.

If they’d put together a service where I could get high-quality MP3s (or any other open format)  that I could use as I see fit (i.e. on my computer, in the truck’s MP3 player, etc), I might actually buy more music.  As an example, there are a number of pieces on SomaFM’s Secret Agent Lounge stream that I’d buy if they were available individually.  But I am not as inclined to buy a whole CD from these artists, as I haven’t heard of most of them before.  However, I would be inclined to purchase a few of their other songs to try them out. 

Of course, the RIAA is going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming into this model, because it means they won’t be able to pass off a bunch of crap mixed in with a few good songs and charge $15 to $17 for it.  It means that the end-user (I hate the word ‘consumer’) will get to pick and choose based on their tastes.  Ultimately, it may have the potential to make the music industry stronger, but only if the music industry gets ahead of the curve.  If they fight too much, they will lose their core customers through alienation.

Electronic distribution of music is a train that is leaving the the station.  The RIAA has a choice: be on the train or under it.

I wasn’t sure whether to categorize this under “Music” or “Guns.”  Someone has created an MP3 player in an AK-47 magazine.  Some interesting pictures on that page (and the MP3 player is kinda neat too ).

Link via Slashdot, where, unfortunately, the anti-gun idiots have come out of the woodwork in the comments section.

Update:  The woman in the picture is committing one of the three mortal sins of gun handling.  Thanks to Bitter Bitch for reminding me about this in the comments.

I’ve been listening to internet streaming radio via my Turtle Beach Audiotron.  Lately I’ve been listening to the “Lounge – Secret Agent ” station from Turtle Radio’s “New Age & Ambient” genre.

I just found that Turtle Radio is simply picking up this stream from SomaFM, which has a number of alternative streams available.  If anyone is interested in the weird music I listen to, here’s a link to the Secret Agent 128K MP3 stream (you’ll need WinAmp).  If your internet connection won’t support a 128K stream, go to the SomaFM link and scroll down the the Secret Agent section for lower bandwidth streams.

The Dixie Chicks are definitely going to take a hit for what Natalie Maines said in London.  Both of the big local country stations in Dallas (96.3 KSCS and 99.5 The Wolf) are getting lots of negative feedback.  Many calls are coming in to tell the stations not to play any Dixie Chicks songs.  Think about that for a minute.  It’s a negative request line scenario.  I imagine that not many publicists or managers have ever contemplated such a thing.

From my perspective, Natalie Maines’ half-ass apology doesn’t cut it.  It’s possible to oppose the war for a variety of reasons, but she chose the low road of personal vilification that I have seen so often from the anti-war types.  In her case it was less offensive than the Bush-Hitler comparisons, but it was still nasty and personal.  That’s why I think her statement is something that can not be forgiven.

Here we go again:

Dixie Chicks Remark Irks Country Fans

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP)—The Dixie Chicks are drawing harsh words from country music fans for remarks singer Natalie Maines made about President George W. Bush during a recent performance in London.

Maines told the audience earlier this week, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.’’

Angry phone calls flooded Nashville radio station WKDF-FM on Thursday, some calling for a boycott of the Texas trio’s music.

The group released a statement Thursday saying they have been overseas for several weeks and “the anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding. While we support our troops, there is nothing more frightening than the notion of going to war with Iraq and the prospect of all the innocent lives that will be lost.’’

In a separate statement Thursday, Maines said, “I feel the president is ignoring the opinion of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world. My comments were made in frustration, and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view.’’

The Dixie Chicks will kick off a U.S. tour in support of their multi-platinum album “Home’’ on May 1 in Greenville, South Carolina. The group’s hits include “Wide Open Spaces,’’ “Ready to Run’’ and “Landslide.’‘

I was planning to take a day off on August 1 and go see their concert in Little Rock.  It would have been an opportunity not only to see the concert but to do some sightseeing in Arkansas.  But none of that will happen now.

While they have the right to say whatever they feel, I also have the right to spend my money with whomever I choose.  Perhaps my $65.00 won’t affect them much, but it’s my choice where to put that money.

You’d think, though, that the Dixie Chicks would know better than to make these kinds of statements in an overseas venue.  Country music fans are generally a patriotic bunch and they don’t take kindly to this kind of stuff.  Even if they don’t like the president, they won’t bring it up in front of non-US citizens.

I see that Acidman has a song stuck in his head.  And it’s a mind-numbing one at that.  I just hope that he gets over it soon.  I can relate, since I once spent a two week period with Rush’s Tom Sawyer stuck in my head.

No, his mind is not for rent
To any God or government…

After that two weeks I would have rented my mind to anyone who could make the song go away.  Maybe that’s what college does to your brain (and, no, I wasn’t using any illicit mind-altering substances).