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KIFM promo radio While promo people give a lot of stuff out, we don’t often get items back from our business to business partners – the relationships are way too unequal for that. But occasionally, in a few instances, I have picked up t shirts, mousepads, antenna bobbles or other items meant for entities other [...]  Elton John and Leon Russell The Union is the new album by Elton John and Leon Russell, a collaboration inspired during a conversation Elton had with Elvis Costello on the tv program Spectacle where he detailed the profound influence the Oklahoman had on his music in the early 70s. Today, the pair are also announcing two concert dates, starting October 19 at the Beacon Theater in New York. The album comes out on October 25, and then there is another show at the Hollywood Palladium on November 3. They’re probably the smallest venues Elton John has played in a long time, and I think the album and shows will start a new career renaissance, or as the man once said, “another burst” (after “Tiny Dancer” appeared in Almost Famous). The album features 14 songs, and was produced by the red-hot T-Bone Burnett in collaboration with its principals. While this is the first recording they have made together, the relationship goes back to the early 70s, when they met during Elton John’s legendary Troubadour stint. Neil Young and Brian Wilson contribute background vocals, and musicians on the album include Booker T. Jones and Robert Randolph. Having heard the album, I can tell you it lives up to its heavy billing. Hear the first single after the jump! What more do you need to launch a band these days than a fresh video? It pays to have a name too, and in this case Fistful of Mercy is rolling with three. Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison have teamed to make at least one song so far (also titled “Fistful of Mercy.” Maybe this means Dhani Harrison’s band thenewno2 is on ice for a while? Whatever the case, this seems like a good match for him. As Sean Lennon is also proving with his recent work, you can make a big ripple without being in the ratrace of the traditional music business (verse-chorus-verse and tour-album-t shirt) which his pop and the other Beatles rode to the stars.
Fistful of Mercy from Fistful of Mercy on Vimeo. In Fistful of Mercy, Harrison has picked some friendly collaborators, both to the audience and the organization with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur. They are about the same age and have been plowing the adult rock/jamband scene for years. They are also proven songwriters with radio hits (Arthur’s “Honey and the Moon” is to me at least). Coincidentally, Ben Harper and his band abetted Dhani’s Uncle Ringo on The Artist’s Den this past year. He’s coming in at a low angle after making big splashes with his father’s audience at the Concert for George and the Rock Hall of Fame induction, where he performed “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with Prince and Tom Petty (!). Dhani also takes the stage with Eric Clapton occasionally. After an entire month of slacking on the site, I have returned. It got a little busy. Then it got ridiculously hot and humid, and here we are at the end of August. There is a lot to report on. I have video from a few shows to upload, and a long list of topics [...] The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) recently filed suit with several porn companies in order to stop the unauthorized use of music in their videos and sites. As much porn as I have seen, I can’t remember any that had a known song in it (I have some known musician friends who have made music for it though!). As a music executive who has seen some crazy stuff, we have no moral high ground, and in business, we could probably learn something from the adult entertainment world which has embraced technology pretty successfully. After an exhaustive search, I managed to uncover one “porn” video featuring a known record, and it was an erotic dancer using Aerosmith’s classic “Dream On.” Of course, it would have to be a band from the “American Invasion,” or the 70s response to the British Invasion that included a stream of lesser groups that rode the commercial wave of rock as children of boomers bought expensive component stereos, invented concert t shirts, picture discs and everything associated with the music became more corporate – chain record stores, researched radio stations, etc. In a similarly scientific way, porn sites must be using music to cater to a certain part of the population. The fact that the woman is wearing a shirt from Rackspace (a server technology company) implies that they made this video and planted it around the web to promote themselves to porn users (MEN). Based on what I have seen of the culture of that company, I’m not surprised (fake tattoo sleeves look pretty weird on Robert Scoble at SXSW, but you did get me to notice!). My guess is those folks are not above using strippers to attract customers, and why not abuse Aerosmith along the way? RIAA, go get ‘em. NSFW: Rackspace’s “Dream On” Video after the jump |
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