Lux Interior, lead singer of the Cramps Dies

LA Times obituary

Newlywed Game

Bob Eubanks was the probably the most suited host for a game show. He made the Newlywed Game by egging on the contestants in a very playful manner. The show was entertaining and funny. Maybe it gave us more information than we needed to know, but we did find out where the strangest places were to make whoopee.

I was intrigued by the announcement that GSN has tapped Carnie Wilson (Wilson-Phillips), the gregarious and bubbly daughter of Brian Wilson to host the updated version to premiere April 6 on GSN. The real point of interest is the new bonus round where the winning newlywed couple challenges a still-married and a former original Newlywed Game couple (referred to as "Goldywed couples" on the show), going back as far as the 1960s.

Will they still be using Sharpies and placards to write their answers? I think it's a must. What will the wives use to hit the husbands over the heads with?

Live Nation Ticketmaster

Here they go again. History has not been good to music industry mega-mergers. The latest involves Live Nation and Ticketmaster for an all stock offering. No cash would be exchanged. Live Nation just launched it's ticket service and from the postings on message boards, it did not make those purchasing U2 tickets happy. The site couldn't process orders, etc. A lot of people were left without tickets. Live Nation also has taken on Madonna, Jay-Z, etc to promote tours, release records, sell merchandise, etc. They do not have the infrastructure to do it. Tickemaster bought Irving Azoff's ever growing management company. On paper, the merger would help Live Nation on the artist and ticketing side. Ticketmaster gets the benefit of the extensive Irving Azoff roster.

I'm skeptical that this sum is greater than the parts. What does this mean for artists outside this circle? There is an alternative in AEG, the other big promoter. Most of the local promoters who had non-compete agreements when they were bought by what is now Live Nation, have expired. The concert promotion business has vastly changed since the SFX/Live Nation creation, comprised of many, many local promoters. Can these promoters still compete and make money? It used to be that artists would forge relationships with the promoters, which lead to artist development. Start out at a small club and as the career builds, you move up to bigger venues with the same promoter, everyone was happy. The artist and the promoter knew each other which made for good promotions and well run shows. It is such a DIY world for the artist now. They not only have to make music and perform it, but they have to be creative directors, graphic artists, videographers, editors, web designers, merchandisers, distributors, bloggers, accountants, booking agents and promoters.

50th Anniversary of The Day The Music Died

We lost Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Booper 50 years ago today.

I managed Los Lobos for 8 years. They had a number 1 hit with their cover of Richie Valens version of La Bamba. In 1987 that song was everywhere. I wasn't working with them at the the time, but they said they has absolutely no idea it was a hit. They were out of the country touring and were amazed at the popularity of the song.

In a short music career from 1954-59, Buddy Holly's output is staggering. If just for the number of hit covers of his songs. Everyone from the Rolling Stones (Not Fade Away) to Linda Ronstadt (That'll Be The Day) to the Beatles (Words of Love) recorded his music. He was from Texas and was living in Greenwich Village when he died. His widow Maria Elena Holly (they were married for 6 months when he died) recounted their time together in New York City in today's WSJ:

"We both were night people. We used to roll up our pajamas, put on raincoats, and walk to the coffeehouses to hear guitar players, and in the morning we'd walk to Washington Square Park. Buddy would bring his guitar and just sit there, and all these other young musicians -- a lot of folksingers -- used to come and talk with him and ask 'How do you do that?' because the way he played the guitar was different, with a down stroke. It was like an educational session there every day.

"I used to say to him, 'You're my old-soul man.' He was 22 going on 50, and very serious about his music. I use to say, 'Why are you so particular, so precise and picky?' And he said: 'Why? Because I write music for people to enjoy, and to make sure they're happy -- and I want my music to last forever.'"

A great song is immortal. The artist lives on forever.

Iraq Metal Band Finds Shelter in NJ

Acrassicauda has been running from the devil for the past few years. They are a heavy metal band from Iraq, were the subjects of a documentary made by a Brooklyn media company in 2007 and spent two years as refugees in Syria and Turkey. They are now legal refugees in NJ. Metallica welcomed them to their show in Newark and handed them a signed guitar that said "Welcome to America". I'd be hard pressed to find a band out there with the road stories these guys must have. Read their story in the NY Times.

Springsteen Super Bowl Show

At one point I thought I was hearing echo/reverb in the stadium during Glory Days. It was actually the crowd singing along. The song closed a rousing set of music, complete with pyrotechnics, precisely choreographed to the music. A choir added to the spectacular of Working on A Dream, kept short and sweet. Choirs are the accessory of choice for singers these days. Faith Hill was backed by one for her rendition of America the Beautiful, which preceded a visibly nervous Jennifer Hudson performing the National Anthem. The Boss opened with Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and without missing a beat, segued into Born To Run. Although Bruce is not a football fan, (at the Super Bowl press conference he said if you are going to ask me football questions, this will be a short conference) football fans are Bruce fans. The crowd was enjoying every moment and they looked like football fans. Thank God it was not another one of those crowds brought in by central casting. The excitement of The Steelers; James Harrison's 100 yard return for a touchdown to close the second half had the crowd going. Springsteen kept the momentum going.

Neko Makes Her Case For A Good Cause

People Got A Lot Of Nerve from Neko Case's March 3rd release Middle Cyclone is a free download.

Download:http://www.anti.com/media/download/708


What makes this different is that for every blog that posts the download, $5 will be donated to Best Friend Animal Society. $1 will be donated for every user of iLike that adds the song to his/her profile. It's a twofer benefit: it's helping out furry friends and giving your ears a treat. Not only is the song free, it's also good. This offer is only good from January 13 to February 3, 2009. If you have a blog or an iLike account, add the link, help an animal.

Songsmith

Microsoft's newest software is Songsmith. It creates music after hearing a vocal. First came a very creepy commercial that I'm still having trouble believing was created by Microsoft.

Everybody seems to be writing about it, so this commercial was effective.
Now it has spawned a whole new YouTube industry. Isolate the vocals from one of your favorite songs say David Lee Roth's in Running With the Devil and play it back to Songsmith. What you get is a lounge version of Van Halen. Oasis' Wonderwall is a techno mess. Listen for 5 seconds and you must stop it or it will drive you mad. Looking for country-lounge? Creep by Radiohead is your track. One thing this proves: you can have all the toys and gadgets in the world, but without creativity and talent, it just doesn't work.

Radiohead - Creep
Oasis - Wonderwall
Van Halen - Running With The Devil

Tweeny-Bop Girl Group Clique Girlz

The NY Times has an article on the marketing of Clique Girlz, two sisters and a friend from NJ. This time it's not Disney doing the selling or marketing, it's Interscope Records. They are known for marketing James Morrison, Beck, Weezer and Pussycat Dolls. The ex-Disney man, Michael Eisner, who owns Topps-known for it's baseball cards, is making Clique Girlz the spokes-kids for Baby Bottle Pop candy. It worked for the Jonas Brothers, who did not have Disney behind them when they worked with Topps. The article points out that promotions like these were once disdained by the music industry. It depends on the music. When it comes to pop and bubblegum acts, all sorts of promotions happened. Gary Lewis and the Playboys recorded a song called Doin' The Flake, which you could get by sending in box tops from Kellogs cereal.

The most interesting has to be this promotion video for staying in school and getting good grades starring Jim Morrison.


The Monkees and Bugs Bunny told us how to make friends with Kool-Aid.



The Jackson 5 taught us how to spell with Alpha Bits cereal.


Musical acts have been doing endorsements since the beginning of pop music. Today's pop acts will have a greater chance of getting noticed by endorsing candy than by hoping radio will play their latest single. The more things change, the more they repeat history.

Lillian Roxon An Unsung Pioneer

I read Girls Like Us last year. It's the story of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. I thought it would be a book about their rise to the top, delve into their craft and really dissect what made them successful. What struck me was the main thrust of book seemed to be who was sleeping with who. Hint: James Taylor, Steven Stills and David Crosby are a few of the repeat offenders. Needless to say, I was disappointed. The subjects are all extremely talented women and these stories played up their vulnerabilities rather than their strengths. Realizing what each of them has gone through, it becomes apparent that they are survivors and stronger than the men in their lives. This book did spark my interest when it mentioned Lillian Roxon, who was basically a footnote. I was not familiar with her. According to Girls Like Us she was an influential writer in the music world in the 1960's and early 70's. She was one of the first to write about rock music. Lillian was originally from Australia and she was the inspiration for the Helen Reddy's song I Am Woman. Eye Magazine is born in the late 1960's publishes about 15 or so issues and has offices on MacDougal St in Manhattan. Carly Simon gets an apartment a few blocks away. It seems that everything is exploding in this area of Greenwich Village. Roxon not only wrote for the magazine, but was an early champion of her photography and a friend to Linda Eastman (later on she marries Paul McCartney).

She was an early champion of David Bowie. Her writing is still fresh and her suggestions in a 1972 New York Sunday News piece, are very valid today. The subject of how "primitive by-products (we now think of it as merchandise) of the rock business are" comes up in a conversation with Bowie. Who knew Columbia Records put out a Sly Stone doll? Lillian mentions she would buy a David Bowie doll that comes with a few costume changes. Bowie was still unknown in the States and Ziggy Stardust was about to come out. Here is the tell tale sign that Bowie will be around for awhile:

In England, where he is incredibly popular (he's still just an in-group cult figure here but wait till "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust" LP takes off) fans have already designed Ziggy Stardust stationery for themselves.

Isn't that what it's all about? Fans creating their own merchandise? She notes that most rock stars look like dolls and wouldn't you rather have a well-made doll than a poster with a bad enlargement of a photo? She offers advice for a hurting garment industry: Get the musician involved not only with the design of the clothes, but the design of the store also. "Buying and selling is a part of our everyday reality", she quips, so why can't musicians sell wares associated with them. She closes the article with "I'm not kidding, if its good enough for Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, why not Ziggy Stardust, Ruby Tuesday, Eleanor Rigby and the rest of the gang?". Why not indeed. The bottom line is that if it's a quality product and it's true to who the musician is, it makes sense.

Inaugural Dancing

Much has been said/printed about Michelle Obama's dress. Not so much has been said about the dancing. Barack and Michelle didn't exactly cut a rug at any of the balls I saw. They could have been tired after an exciting and hectic day. With the adrenaline going, I think it's more a product of my/our generation. We don't know how to dance with a partner. If Heaven 17's Let Me Go is spun by a DJ, I'll be the first one on the dance floor. If it's In The Mood, I can fake something, but I'm just posing. My husband and I took dance lessons about 8 years ago, after realizing we didn't know a Foxtrot from a Waltz. We were determined to learn how to dance together. Turned out there were a lot of singles in the class and they made us dance with different partners, thus mission not accomplished. Michelle leaned on Barack to Etta James' At Last. (We heard the recording and Beyonce's version. Why didn't we see Etta singing it live?) At one point, it might have been during Stevie Wonder's sing-a-long of Sign Sealed Delivered, it looked like Barack was doing the White Man's Overbite. The latter which was so wonderfully demonstrated by Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally. We are the end of the Boomer generation and maybe the end of partner dancing.

Pal Joey

On Wednesday I saw Pal Joey at Studio 54. The women steal the show in this production. Martha Plimpton who normally plays the part of Gladys, the night club performer, was not in the performance I saw. Stockard Channing is one of the most solid theater performers. She either chooses her roles well, or can make any role work. As the rich and bored Mrs Simpson, she plays the part with both charm, aloofness and vulnerability. She also looks stunning in William Ivey Long’s gowns. She also has the distinction of singing the musical's most heralded song Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered to her sleeping boy toy, the lounge lizard, Joey Evans. Stockard's voice while not powerful is just right to convey Mrs Simpson's laments. In What Is a Man? she sighs “They’re all alike/They’re all I like."

Joey jumps from town to town to prey on whoever will help him further his career. In this case, he is able to seduce Mrs Simpson into buying a night club and letting him mooch off her. She doesn't exactly see it that way at first. He also has been toying with the emotions of new-to-town, shop girl Linda English, played by Jenny Fellner. Her voice is beautiful and a perfect fit for the girl who may be more savvy than Joey will give her credit for. Her duet with Channing on "Take Him" is both charming and empowering for the women. They both realize he's a cad, but somehow they've been sucked in. Not exactly a new plot line, but with the right actresses, it's fresh again.


Richard Greenberg, who wrote the wonderful Take Me Out, adapted the original book and it has his stamp on it. He brings out the dark side of Chicago, while not making it bleak.

It's worth mentioning the dream scene, where Joey imagines his new night club, Chez Joey. There is a mighty white and chrome staircase and showgirls wearing enormous flower headdresses (I'm partial to the lily) descend the stage. I'm not sure if you are getting the same mental picture, but all I could think about was that similar scene from I Love Lucy. These women pulled it off with grace and didn't topple. I had to smile.

Reasons to Be Cheerful: Serkis To Play Ian Dury In Biopic

Lord Of The Rings star Andy Serkis has signed up to play British punk legend Ian Dury in a biopic of the late Blockheads frontman.

The actor - who played Gollum in the fantasy trilogy and King Kong in the recent big screen remake - has confirmed he is learning his lines and preparing for filming to start in April.

Serkis tells Cinema Blend, "I'm actually doing a film about the life of Ian Dury ... He's an amazing character, a real poet ... And he was a polio sufferer, so he basically didn't have much use of his left leg or his left arm. He was one of the first disabled punk rockers ever. I'm really looking forward to that".

It's not the first biopic the Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick rocker has inspired - a musical, Hit Me: The Life And Rhymes Of Ian Dury, is currently running in London.

Dury died in 2000 at the age of 57.

Rosanne Cash's 1993 Inauguration Story

In the NY Times.

Inaugural Balls

In 1993 I attended 3 inaugural balls. It was Bill Clinton's first term and he was the first president born of the rock & roll era. He was known for his love of Elvis, the sax and had and still does have a great appreciation for music. It was no surprise that sprawled out all over DC were balls with amazing music lineups. While waiting for one of my bands in the hotel lobby to go to soundcheck, I met Lindsey Buckingham. Don't Stop became the official Clinton campaign song. Fleetwood Mac hadn't toured in years, but were getting back together to perform for the President. Linsdsey was blown away by the attention the song got.

It was winter. I was wearing heels. The only way to get around was to walk or run. The roads were like parking lots which meant taxis were not an option. It seemed like every walkway was made of cobble stones (it just seems that way when you're in heels). Will Botwin, Ken Levitan and myself made our way to three balls that night making sure that we didn't miss any of the acts we managed: Los Lobos, Rosanne Cash and Lyle Lovett. The logistic were harrowing. The excitement cannot be recreated. To a lesser degree than today, there was a high level of hope for the new President.

We seemed to arrive at every ball, just as Al and Tipper Gore were also arriving. At each ball, they would stop whoever was playing, from the speakers would come Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al and then Al and Tipper would dance. I was so sick of that song by the end of the day. One of the balls was in Air and Space Museum. Having free reign of the place during soundcheck was amazing. Yes, we all had our photos taken on the Star Trek set. At another ball, Rosanne introduced me to her dad and step mom (do I need to point out they were Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash?).

There has been much written about how smooth and together the Obama transition has been as opposed to Clinton, who still had not filled out his cabinet by inauguration day. I can relate this to the scheduling of the balls. According to the NY Times guide to the inauguration, of the 10 balls that are happening tonight, 6 are in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This would make it so much easier for Obama and Biden and those managers who have multiple acts playing. I heard on the news that the performers that played on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, paid for their own expenses. I'm not sure if that pertains to the balls also. In 1992, the artists donated their time, but the expenses were covered. The excitement and energy are truly unforgettable and I can understand why people travelled thousands of miles to be there today.

We Are One: Concert at the Lincoln Memorial

Singing in 20 degree weather can't be easy. Yesterday musicians paid tribute to Barack Obama by performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It's a dramatic and inspiring backdrop. Many of the songs were performed with a choir. Springsteen with acoustic guitar and choir behind him delivered a poignant version of The Rising. John Mellencamp and choir belted out a rousing version of Pink Houses. The only full band performance came from U2. They paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr with In The Name of Love and followed it up with City Of Blinding Lights.

The ladies really rocked the show. They out rocked the guys.

1. Mary J Blige's cover of Lean On Me took on steam as the song progressed.
   
2. Renee Fleming powerfully interpreted Roger's and Hammerstein's You'll Never Walk Alone.
3. I was very exited to see Heather Headley perform with Josh Grobman. She has one of the best voices and she hadn't been on my radar lately. Their duet was a beautiful interpretation of My Country Tis of Thee.
4. Bettye LaVette proves that she just keeps getting better. She blew me away with her rendition of Love Reign O’er Me at the Kennedy Center Honors last month and continued to do so yesterday with her performance of A Change Is Gonna Come. Jon Bon Jovi sang with her.
5. Beyonce closed the show with America The Beautiful with the days performers joining her on stage for the last verse.
   

With the exception of U2, it was a celebration of the music of this country, although the lone jazz artist represented was Herbie Hancock. HBO is running it online, watch it. The performers were there because they wanted to be and the passion and pride were evident on every one of their faces. It's good to be an American.

Gary Kurfirst: Long Time Artist Manager Dies

I worked on the same floor as Gary Kurfirst's Overland Productions in the late 80's, early 90's. We said hi in the hallways. He was a loyal manager who worked with everyone from the Talking Heads to Diamanda Galas. I remember the start of Radioactive Records. There was always something new and exciting coming out of their office. Gary died suddenly this week. The best tribute I've seen came from him son which was posted in the Lefsetz letter. I'll excerpt the posting below.

Bob,

We've never actually met before, but I feel like I have read hundreds of your emails over the years and they were all forwarded to me by my father, Gary Kurfirst. I know he agreed with a lot of what you had to say about the music business and he admired your writing abilities and passion for music. I'm writing to let you know that Gary (aka notalk888@aol.com) passed away yesterday. It all happened very sudden, the details of which do not matter, bottom line is he was way too young. I'm not sure why I am reaching out to you, but I feel like I need to make sure that my dad's accomplishment in the music business are recognized and you have a lot of people's attention. He was a true music pioneer, an ole gunslinger back when the music business was like the wild, wild west and crafty kid from Forest Hills, Queens could carve out a living promoting (and later managing) cutting edge acts not because they were popular, but because they were different. I actually got to work with him for most of my adult life. He taught me about the importance of artist development, building the brand and finding acts that did not fit the mold but rather broke it. He believed in artistry and did not sign acts because they sounded like "so and so," he signed acts that were an extension of his creative being, ones that tested the boundaries of modern music and would change the face of music forever. He was not a musician, or music historian and would readily admit that he knew zero about music in general. However he understood how to identify, create and manage unique artists as good as any human being on the planet over the last 40 years. He always stuck to his guns. Didn't care what other people thought and believed passionately that over time the cream always rises to the top. Sometimes that rise took years (see the Ramones & the Talking Heads) and something it happened almost instantly (see Live). My point is that my dad represented a lot of the good that has happened in music over the past 40 years. He started out as a pioneer and morphed into an anomaly and at the end of it all I'm very proud to be his son and only wish that my two boys (Gary's only grandchildren - Lucas 5 & Landon 13 months) got a chance to know him like I did.

Regards,

Josh Kurfirst

ps: Gary's work history can be found here: www.garykurfirst.com
pps: two stories have broke so far http://www.nme.com/news/talking-heads/42077 and one at www.hitsdailydouble.com

Paul McCartney on Howard Stern

It seems to be an all Beatles Blog Day at Kudos & Flowers. Howard Stern is the best celebrity interviewer there is. Today's Paul McCartney chat was too short. They just started to get the ball rolling and it was time for him to leave. Howard as expected touched on Paul's encounters with Christie Brinkley, Renee Zellweger and Rosanne Arquette. The first two he said were a Hampton's party and a lunch-nothing more. He didn't elaborate on Ms Arquette. Sir Paul talked briefly about his new album Electric Arguments released under the name The Firemen. He chose the name because his father was a fireman and he also loves to cut down brush and create trails with his chain saw. That must be why he is always in such a good mood. He lets it all out in the woods. He recorded the lyrics on the fly in the studio. The spontaneity works. Highway is a fun, melodic romp with the energy of the first Wings record. I hear a touch of Peter Gabriel in songs such as Lifelong Passion. The album doesn't sound like a bunch of songs that were sitting on a shelf waiting to be recorded. There is freshness to the work. The record was produced by Youth.

He loves being a dad to his youngest. He hangs out in the Hamptons in the summer so the paparazzi can invade his privacy. The Beatles were originally going to call Abbey Road, Everest. He gets along with Yoko. The biggest shock of the interview came from Robin Quivers, not Paul. She officially threw her hat in the ring and said she was available to date Paul. She cited being a vegan as a mutual bond. I think Paul thought Howard put her up to it.

Victor Spinetti's Hard Day's Night

Victor Spinetti performed his one man show, A Very Private Diary! at the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts. His acting career has taken him from regional theater in his birth country of Wales to a Tony Award for Oh! What A Lovely War to the Return of the Pink Panther. He is probably most recognized in this country for his roles in A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Magical Myster Tour. His show recreates celebrity encounters from his illustrious career. Stories of Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Tallulah Bankhead, Warren Beatty and of course The Beatles are all conveyed in his eccentric, endearing manner. During the height of Beatlemania, Victor had a large fan club. While on route to the Bahamas with the Beatles to shoot Help!, the plane had a stop over at JFK airport to refuel. No one was going to leave the plane until an announcement was made asking for Victor Spinetti. They asked if he would please leave the plane to say hi to the hordes of fan looking for him. So he got out and waved to the crowd. Needless to say, The Beatles gave it to him when he got back on the plane.

He also recounted the visit by John and George to ask him to be in A Hard Days Night: George Harrison, said, "You've got to be in all our films ... if you're not in them me Mum won't come and see them--because she fancies you."

What I remember most about Victor was the amazing mohair sweater his character Richard, the TV director wore in A Hard Day's Night. Rosemary Flannery, being more pop culture aware than I am, found an interview in which he said the sweater was his own. So much for a wardrobe budget. The acting skills of Victor and the participants in A Hard Day's Night should not be overlooked, as it's a gem. The movie was improvised and apparently so was the wardrobe.

Bad Design is a Bad Sign

The Mets have once again held the bar way too low. This is the inaugural stadium patch that will be on the Mets' uniforms this year. I could have done better with a Sharpie and piece of loose leaf paper. The web is aflutter with criticism, Yahoo compared it to the Domino's Pizza logo. The best thing to come out of this is The Sports Hernia's alternative versions of the logos that were rejected by the Mets. Follow the link and make sure you scroll to the bottom. Who designed this patch and how much were they paid?


Omens?:

1. The NY Post reported rusty pipes and leaks coming from the front of Citifield.
2. The stadium is now being referred to as Taxpayers Field as taxpayers money is bailing out Citigroup.

Music Video Games Sales Were Down in 2008

Hailed as a growing revenue stream for musicians and labels, the music video game sector might not be living up to it's expectations. Variety reports that Rock Band sold 809,000 units domestically and Guitar Hero World Tour sold 1.5 million units.

According to paidcontent.org here are the numbers:

Music remains the biggest-selling games genre and, according to NPD Group, brings in 16 percent of all gaming revenue. But music games overall saw a six percent drop in revenue despite some high-profile launches. Now with sales are slowing, revenue from extra tracks to play along to is of huge importance even though the cash is split with music publishers: at the cost of about $2 each, Guitar Hero players have bought 25 million tracks while Rock Band fans have paid for 30 million. Sales data for December is out on January 15 and will show how all the big titles did over Christmas.

Biggest Selling Vinyl Record of 2008

Hypebot posted this graph which has Radiohead bookending the top 10 selling vinyl records of the past year. If anyone is thinking about waxing poetically on the comeback of vinyl, just look at the numbers and think twice about the impact. As I've written before, vinyl does not make a dent in sales number. In Rainbows sold 25,800 copies. Rolling Stone's article proclaims that vinyl sales almost doubled in 2008 and that "vinyl is still experiencing a renaissance". I would hardly call this news. With more layoffs at labels and more artists releasing records on their own (Radiohead), vinyl sales will not help music's bottom line rebound. When it does and it enables artists to make a living making music, then it's news.

Quote of the Day from Bob Lefsetz

"A Palm is like a Haircut 100 record. A hit once, but no one even wants to go to the reunion show."

Bob Lefsetz is referring to Elevation Partners investments in Palm and how Elevation is the only thing keeping Palm alive. This was spurred by Bob's review of an op-ed piece by Bono in the NY Times. The article is Bono's stream of consciousness writings on Frank Sinatra.

Jacko To Give Macca Back his Beatles Publishing

I'm a few days late with this, but According to the Mirror:

1. Michael Jackson believes he is dying from a genetic lung disease
2. Is now confined to bed or a wheelchair
3. According to his will, Paul McCartney would inherit his portion of the Beatles catalogue
4. He is disheartened by his falling out with Paul.

Malcolm Gladwell On Success at the 92nd Street Y

How is success measured? Malcolm Gladwell thinks we abuse the word "genius" and bestowing it on people is giving them too much credit. He believes (and goes on to credit his theory in his latest book: Outliers) there are many factors that are involved in a person's success and given the right cultural environment, work ethic, a sprinkle of fairy dust talent and date of birth, you have the advantages to succeed. He used numerous examples throughout the interview: Bill Gates, The Beatles, two Canadian hockey teams, KIPP Academy and J Robert Oppenheimer.

Robert Krulwich, host of Radiolab, interviewed him and was a perfect choice to challenge Gladwell on his theories. Their dialogue on the use and vocal emphasis of the word "love" was highly entertaining. Gladwell is the master of looking at a situation (he spoke passionately about the merit of Affirmative Action) and turning it upside down. He gets you thinking. It's been said there are two sides to every story and then there's the truth. We have Gladwell to show us the third side.

The Stooges Guitarist Found Dead

Ron Asheton a founding member of the The Stooges was found dead in his Ann Arbor home after an associate called police to say he had not been heard from in days. No official cause of dead has been announced. Foul play is not suspected. Ron along with his brother Scott, Iggy Pop and the deceased Dave Alexander released their first record in 1969. Ron's MySpace page is filled with fans thoughts and thanks.
Read his obit on NME's site.

iTunes New Pricing

The ho hum announcement at Macworld Expo was that iTunes will now be DRM free and songs will be variably priced. This is what Apple negotiated with the major record labels. DRM free comes way too late and who is going to want to pay MORE for a track when it can be downloaded for free. The labels will now charge $1.29 for a new song, .99 for those selling well and .69 for older tracks. In a time where everything is being sold at a discount, the labels decide to jack up the price. I'm shaking my head.

Stax Revue on PBS Tonight (if you're in NY)

In today's NY Times:

The black-and-white concert footage of “Sweet Soul Music: Stax Live in Europe 1967,” to be shown Monday (tonight) at 8 p.m. on WLIW (Channel 21) in NY and nationwide on PBS in March, is a chance to see Stax’s soul men at their youthful peak. The tour lineup was Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd and Arthur Conley, backed by Booker T & the MGs and the Mar-Keys. The revue was videotaped for television on April 7, 1967, in Oslo. (The PBS special is a shorter version of a DVD, “Stax/Volt Revue: Live in Norway 1967,” which is available from the Stax Museum in Memphis, staxmuseum.org.)

Song List
“Philly Dog” - The Mar-Keys
“Green Onions” - Booker T. and the MG's
“Sweet Soul Music” - Arthur Conley
“You Don't Know Like I Know” - Sam and Dave
“Raise Your Hand” - Eddie Floyd
“Soothe Me” - Sam and Dave
“Hold On! I'm comin'” - Sam and Dave
“Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)” - Otis Redding
“My Girl” - Otis Redding
“Shake” - Otis Redding
“(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” - Otis Redding
“Try A Little Tenderness” - Otis Redding

Brandi Shearer on Daytrotter

Brandi Shearer visited the Daytrotter studio for a live session during her tour last year with Kate Walsh and Quincy Coleman. There are 3 new songs: Animal, I Just Want You To Love Me,

When You Wake Up and a beautiful version of Night Singing Bird which is also on her EP First Punch. You can download the tracks from the Daytrotter site. Interesting title to the piece: The Endearment Of An Ashen Animal.

New Year's with Springsteen

Happy New Year. I haven't spent very many New Year Eve's listening to live music. As an intern at MTV, I had to work the New Year's Rocking Eves which wound up being a lot of fun. When I was in college, my friend Dino was obsessed with Bruce Springsteen. He must have told me a hundred times that seeing Springsteen live would change my life. I went to school at Fordham in the Bronx. It seemed like every mixer ended with guys jumping in the air to Rosalita. FU was Boss Town.

Dino got tickets for The River tour, which landed at the Nassau Coliseum on New Year's Eve 1980. I have a great memory of Bruce singing In The Midnight Hour, the Wilson Pickett song. I've since seen Springsteen several times: Giant Stadium, Shea Stadium, The Garden, etc. He is a performer! He plays for his audience and he plays for himself. If he doesn't love his job, he is the greatest actor.

Springsteen's latest musical offerings have been downright good. Magic is a great album filled with great songs. His latest single, Working On A Dream is another great song. Lately it's hard to find great songs, so I don't use the term lightly. When In the Midnight Hour was a hit, (much to my surprise it peaked at only #21 in August of '65) great songs were all over radio. Just a sample of what would have been playing on WABC-AM: California Girls, Help!, We Gotta Get Out of This Place, Down in the Boondocks and For Your Love. It's a comfort to know that Bruce is writing songs that are as valid as the ones he played on that New Year's Eve in 1980.

RIP: Freddie Hubbard

Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who played with legends such as John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Art Blakey and Herbie Hancock, died Dec. 29 in Sherman Oaks, CA. He was 70 years old and had suffered a heart attack a month ago.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Juliet Ashton, a writer from London, wrote a much needed light-hearted newspaper column under the name Izzy Bickerstaff during WW ll. Her writings were later published as a much read book. While looking for her next subject, she receives a letter from a native of Guernsey, the Channel Island that was occupied by the Germans during the War. The inhabitants were cut off from society: no radios, they lived on turnip soup and without spoiling anything, they formed the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society to cope with life.

This novel depicts life for Juliet and the islanders via letters. It can be read in short spurts as letters are no longer than 3 pages. You will want to read more than one letter at a time. The story is both entertaining, witty and a history lesson. Mary Ann Shaffer, an editor and librarian wrote this book with her niece, Annie Burrows, a childrens book author. Mary Ann's health failed while she was writing the book which caused her to have Annie assist in finishing the book. Unfortunately she did not live to see the book published. She was inspired to write this book after a visit to Guernsey. There is a memorial fund set up in her name to assist female authors.

Guernsey is a very clever book and self effacing - which makes it a delight. Since it's set in England I'm giving myself license to call it a delight. (Regression: Wasn't there a line in Wuthering Heights, where marriage is accepted because "he's handsome and a delight to be with"?) The words flow. The characters are well developed. The setting is well-established. You'll want to believe these are real people and you'll want to spend time with them. This work is heartfelt and enjoyable.

RIP: Bud Prager, Earth Kitt

Bud Prager was one of the classic old school managers. He was once quoted as saying Foreigner is Mick and Me. He passed away this week in Montauk LI after a battle with cancer. Besides Foreigner, his other clients included Leslie West, Cream and Felix Papalardi.

Earth Kitt is always present at Christmastime. Her rendition of Santa Baby is legendary. My first memory of her was as Catwoman. I was a die hard Batman fan and her purrrrrr was much more intense than Julie Newmar's or Lee Merriweather's film version of Catwoman. The part seem to be hers. Moving into her aunt's abusive household in Harlem at age 8, she learned how to be tough and outspoken. The Times recalled her visit to the Johnson White House:

In 1968 she was invited to a White House luncheon and was asked by Lady Bird Johnson about the Vietnam War. She replied: “You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot.” The remark reportedly caused Mrs. Johnson to burst into tears and led to a derailment in Ms. Kitt’s career.

She was 81.

Long Tail Theory Questioned

According to a piece in the UK's Timesonline,
173,000 of the 1.23M albums available sold at least 1 copy last year
That means 85% of albums did move a single copy all year.
80% of of all single track sales revenue came from 52,000 tracks

The article states:

The idea that niche markets were the key to the future for Internet sellers was described as one of the most important economic models of the 21st century when it was spelt out by Chris Anderson in his book The Long Tail in 2006. He used data from an American online music retailer to predict that the Internet economy would shift from a relatively small number of “hits” - mainstream products - at the head of the demand curve toward a “huge number of niches in the tail”.

However, a new study by Will Page, chief economist of the MCPS-PRS Alliance, the not-for-profit royalty collection society, suggests that the niche market is not an untapped goldmine and that online sales success still relies on big hits. They found that, for the online singles market, 80 per cent of all revenue came from around 52,000 tracks. For albums, the figures were even more stark. Of the 1.23 million available, only 173,000 were ever bought, meaning 85 per cent did not sell a single copy all year.

I would love a more in depth look at the study. As for the 85% who didn't sell one copy are they making a living with their music? Did they give it away free and not make it available for sale. If no one bought a copy how did Will Page know the record existed? Do these acts have a profitable touring history?

The Live Nation Deals: Where Are They Now?

The following AP release is very telling. Apparently U2 has cashed in their stock options on their Live Nation deal. This happens before they have performed one show under the new contract. See piece below:

U2 Divests LN Stock - Promoter Takes A Hit
Posted: December 18, 2008
Irish rock band U2 made a killing in the stock market after they moved to sell the 1,556,386 shares in Live Nation stock. U2 acquired the shares as part of the 12-year 360 deal they signed with Live Nation in March of 2008.
At the time, the company touted the stock holding as evidence of the band's faith in the business model. As a part of the agreement, Live Nation guaranteed that the band would receive at least $25 million for the stock. Unfortunately for Live Nation, their share price has dipped precipitously in recent months and company's shares were trading at $3.80, clearing just under 6 million, leaving the promoter holding the bag for the remaining $19 million.

Despite the sale, the U2's manager took pains to restate the band's commitment to the pact. "We're very much in business with [Live Nation] and we're planning to tour in 2009." Paul McGuinness, the band's manager told the Wall Street Journal.

U2's deal with Live Nation has yet to be very profitable for the promoter as the band hasn't toured since 2006. The Irish rockers have stated that they plan to release an album next year with aforementioned tour to follow and the band has a proven track record of moving tickets so it remains very likely that Live Nation will still post a profit from the U2 deal in the long-term.

Unfortunately, however the other shoe may be ready to drop for the promoter in April, as Madonna becomes eligible to sell the $25 million in stock holdings she acquired from her own 360 agreement with Live Nation. Unlike U2 however, Madonna has been an earner this year, pulling in more than $120 million (and counting) from her "Sticky & Sweet" tour.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino tried to offer some perspective to the sale, noting to the WSJ that "Madonna and U2 are the only two deals that did contain this provision. The Madonna business is great, and we look forward to monetizing our investment in U2 next year."

At time of publication, Live Nation's shares were trading slightly higher at $4.07.

DejaVu All Over Again: WMG Battles YouTube

Unable to renegotiate the share of ad revenue it sought, Warner Music Group has pulled all of its content from YouTube. Affected are thousands of songs and artists from WMG's extensive recording catalog, as well as, those published by Warner/Chappell Music who may not record for the company.

Read the full article at Hypebot.com

RIAA to Stop Suing Internet Pirates

The RIAA realized that suing individuals who traded music over the Internet, was not the way to go. They have decided to cease suing. According to a WSJ article today, the RIAA opened legal proceedings against approximately 35,000 people since 2003. They are now making deals with Internet Service Providers that will warn their users that they are in violation, rather than having to ask the ISP to divulge the name of the user.

The whole campaign seemed ill advised from the beginning. What did they have to gain from suing a 13 year old girl? Possibly using her as an example, but it wasn't a deterrent. The major labels have been band-aiding situations for years and it is no surprise that they are in bad shape. If they had embraced the technology, put out quality product and engaged the fan, none of this would be happening. Maybe the RIAA should hire Stephanie Meyer as a consultant. She has done all of the above. According to boxofficemojo, the film version of her book Twilight has a domestic total sales of $152,320,664, as of 12/17. Her series of books have sold over 25 million copies. Her latest release, Breaking Dawn, shipped 3.7 million copies with 1.7 of of them being sold on the first day of release. When was the last time an album did that?

Saved By Zero Kills

Apparently I'm not the only one who couldn't get to the remote fast enough every time the car commercial using The Fixx song Saved By Zero came on. Here is a parody of the commercial and the movie The Ring.

It doesn't get much more annoying than that commercial. The Marketing With Meaning Blog has a great piece about the protests annoying commercials have created. There is a Facebook group called Stop Playing Toyota’s “Saved By Zero” Commercial. It has 9300 friends. Music when used well can be one of the greatest ways to market a product. Apple usually hits the mark. As much as people hate this commercial, I have seen more written about it than any other ad in recent memory. The questions remains to be answered: Does this turn the consumer sour on your brand for life?

Insomnia Jeopardy

I'm posting this New Yorker Cartoon because it's that good.

Jack Black to Star in Heavy Metal Video Game

Reported on GameDaily.com.

Brutal Legend is described as a third-person Action/Adventure title with Jack Black starring in the role of roadie Eddie Riggs. After being thrown back through time, Riggs uses his knowledge of Heavy Metal music to free an oppressed people and usher in the Age of Metal.

It's All About the Apps

Music Apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch are getting a lot of press these days. Nine Inch Nails who always seem to be at the forefront of technology, released one in September. Weezer just put out Christmas with Weezer. Behind most of these apps is Tapulous. They are the creators of Tap Tap Revenge which is the all-time most popular game for the iPhone. I downloaded it today. The first track I got was Nick Galliant-a cross between Earth Wind and Fire and Nick Gilder. With the exception of Weezer's We Wish You a Merry Christmas, I was unfamiliar with the artists. This is the free version of the game. I could have paid $5 for the full Christmas with Weezer. The blog at Wired.com mentioned the apps as an additional source of income for musicians. This article focuses more on gadgets and games such as rock band. Apps are a great way for fans to stay in touch with what's going on with their favorite artists. Matt Kozlov of Sony/BMG introduced me to the Pink app, Pink's Funhouse. There is music, news, bio and of course lots of photos. Expect a powerhouse app in advance of The Fray's new album.

Discovering New Music While Getting Your Haircut

Radio isn't quite what it used to be for discovering new music. I keep reading that listenership is up, but advertising is down. I'm guessing that Talk Radio is leading the way. I don't know many people who turn on the radio to hear music. People are becoming their own radio stations. iMixes on iTunes are a great example of that. I've known Gabrielle Trujillo and Jeffrey Fernandez, the owners of Sparkle Beauty Studio for over 10 years. Not only will you get an amazing haircut from them, but you will be treated like a king/queen and will be turned on to some great new music. Music is Gabriel's passion and he's an informed and intuitive "DJ". Each month he posts an iMix which is a seamless bounty of new music. He removes it when the month is up and posts a new one. This month I was introduced to Ohm-G & Bruno, McFly and Augustana. Gabriel's iMixes are a great way to catch up on new music if you don't have the time to jump from Internet radio to terrestrial to satellite.

Filming Without Casting a Leading Actress

On this day in 1938, filming began on the epic film Gone With The Wind. The producer David O Selznick had not yet cast an actress to play Scarlett O'Hara. Can you imagine a studio today green lighting a project without a principal actor cast? Needless to say the first scene shot was the burning of Atlanta which didn't require Scarlett's participation. Ironically, that was also the day that Selznick was introduced to Vivien Leigh on the set by his brother Myron, a Hollywood agent. 11 days later she tested for the film and on Christmas day he had selected his Scarlett.

Has Anyone Learned From the Downfall of the Recorded Music Indsutry?

While watching Barack Obama talk about the US auto industry crisis on Meet The Press yesterday, it hit home once again that the recorded music industry led the way to the downward spiral and other businesses didn't pay attention and learn from them. About 10 years ago, the music business denied new technology instead of embracing it (Napster). The major label business was based on a model that was over 50 years old, yet no label overhauled the way they did business. The people at the top made a fortune, middle managers were eliminated, leaving highly paid executives and underpaid assistants to do the job. The record labels put out inferior product. They sold an album off one good song. Consumers had to buy the whole album in order to get the song. The song had nothing to do with the rest of the music on the album. Consumers fought back and decided they didn't need the album anymore, they'll just download the song for free.

The US auto industry seems to have done the same things. They continued making cars bigger instead of environmentally efficient. Foreign cars were proving more reliable than domestic. The auto industry is also based on an antiquated model and their CEOs are over compensated whether the company is turning a profit or not.

The sad thing about all of this is the people who are most effected by these downturns:
The songwriter is the one losing out on royalties from free downloads.
The people who supply parts to the car companies will no longer have a business.
Those on the peripheral who depend on these businesses such as writers, restaurants, freelance tech support, video directors and production companies, recording studios, messengers, cleaning services, copier salespeople, the list goes on. It's not just about those CEOs testifying in Washington last week.

The bottom line: give the consumer good quality products, listen to the consumer, make sure you're up on the latest technology and you'll be productive.

New York Dolls: All Dolled Up

I just discovered this video. Bob Gruen (famed NY Rock photographer) and his wife, filmed over 40 hours of footage of the New York Dolls during their initial go round in the 1970s. His documentary is called All Dolled Up. I remember seeing The Dolls and Mott the Hoople on TV, what seemed like every other week on either the Midnight Special or Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. What great music, energy and fun.

Elvis Costello in Conversation with .....

"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with . . ." debuted last night on the Sundance Channel. His first guest was the shows producer, Elton John. Episode one was an informal conversation between two seasoned musicians who have seen their share of collaborations, toured extensively and have deep rooted fans. They explored Elton John's early career. I didn't know that he toured with Patti LaBelle before he became Elton John or that Laura Nyro was a huge influence (although it wasn't surprising). Elton still seems so excited about music, although he pointed out that the talent and singer songwriters that came out of hte 60's and 70's are sorely missing these days.

Both men also shared their reasons for not performing with their birth name. Elvis said that with a name like Declan McManus, he should be wearing a cable sweater singing Irish folk songs. It just didn't work with his music. Elton said he never wants to be call Reg again. Elton joked about a porn film composer named Costello Presley.

Elvis and Elton performed two covers: Working In Coal Mine along with Down River a song by David Ackles. Elton remembered David opening for him at the Troubadour in 1970 and couldn't believe he wasn't the headliner.

The editing of the show was a bit abrupt and it seemed clipped as it went to a commercial. This took me out of the in-your- living room pace and feel of the show. Beside the abrupt commercial breaks, the show was informative and gave us an insight into what made Reg Dwight, Elton John.

A Late Goodbye to The Shield

It's been a week since The Shield aired it's very last episode. It's taken me this long to digest the finale. This series never lost it's vision or it's integrity. The final episode wasn't so much a shocker as it left me angry (Why was Ronnie thrown under a bus?), a little sick (Seeing Shane's dead pregnant wife in bed with a flower in her hands lying next to their dead son made me queasy and that was after Shane shot himself!) and expecting to see this (Corrine and the kids end up in a witness protection program). I knew that Vic wasn't going to take anything lying down. Seeing him in that pale gray suit enter the ICE for his first day sorting files, did make me chuckle. He looked like the Undertaker gone corporate. You know he wouldn't last a day there. With that determined look on Vic's face and gun in his pocket is he going to free Ronnie, seek out his kids?

Michael Chiklis is the face of The Shield, but the exceptional talent of people like Walton Goggins as Shane played with reckless abandon and empathy and David Rees Snell's understated portrayal of Ronnie set the show apart from other cop dramas. The scenes in the final episodes of this season between Shane and Mara were touching and heartbreaking. I hated the character of Mara and that is testament to the amazing acting of Michele Hicks. She was subtle, annoying and devoted. I also want to include Kenny Johnson's Lem. CCH Pounder played the self righteous Claudette with intensity and yet showed the loyal and vulnerable side to her, which leads me to her partner Dutch. Dutch is one of those roles that I think would be hard to play. It's much easier to play the really good or bad guy. Extremes are easy. Jay Karnes was perfect. He played him as the nice guy, not a pushover and certainly conflicted. Silence was a another key character in the final episodes.
Shawn Ryan give us The Shield: The Movie so we can continue to follow the seedy, inspired life of Vic Mackey. With the exception of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, no TV series has been so consistently great with such an outstanding cast of actors. Kudos to the cast, writers and crew of The Shield for addicting us to corrupt cops with few, if any morals.

NOTE: For more trivia on the Shield view The Watcher blog. There are some fun facts posted: Biggs' lawyer who gave Dutch her card is actually Dutch (Jay)'s wife in real life.
The federal agent that escorts Corrine and family to their new home (which is in Rockford-creator Shawn Ryan's hometown) directed the very first and last episodes of the series.

Pet Sounds for $5

In the great music under $5 bin this week is the classic, perhaps greatest album of all time, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys at iTunes. The other beauty besides the price is that it is iTunes plus, which means it's DRM free. You own it free and clear without restrictions. If you don't have this record, skip a latte at Starbucks and purchase it. It's timeless, it's beautiful, it's a masterpiece.

Synergy Working for Sharon Little

Sharon Little is signed to CBS Records which is part of the CBS network family. When Los Lobos signed with Hollywood Records, a division of Disney, we were told there would be tons of synergy/opportunity between the film studio and the label. It didn't happen, which is the case most of the time. I'm glad to see that synergy is working for Sharon Little. She is performing with Scott Sax in a subway scene on CSI: NY on Dec 10th.

Odetta Dies at Age 77

Odetta, the honored folk singer and voice of the civil rights movement passed away yesterday in NY from heart disease. According to the NY Times, she was hoping to perform at Barack Obama's inauguration.

Max Tuohy

Max Tuohy is new to the UK music scene. He doesn't have a dedicated website and his MySpace profile has been up since August. He's only 16. He sounds older. He will appeal to fans of Jack Johnson. Definitely has good songwriting instincts to build on. He has one song posted which is a demo: Run Over. In exchange for your email address you can have the song for free.

This is one of those sparse demos that 99% of the time taken up by a big producer, in a big studio with lots of musicians, will kill the raw power of the song. It's catchy, it has feeling. John Hiatt's Have a Little Faith In Me, which is a classic, only worked when it was John, his voice and the piano. A big production would have definitely diminished it's message.

There's not too much info or images of Max in the US, but I hear he just got signed to a UK label, which means a US label isn't probably far behind.

The Final Episode: The Shield

Tonight ends my addiction with the Shield. I don't have a choice. It's being taken away from me. The last episode of the series is tonight. It's extended to 90 minutes, but I know that will never be enough. How much pleading would I need to do with Shawn Ryan, the series creator, to bring it back?


Shawn Ryan talks about he end of the show in the Boston Herald. He said there will be many twists and turns and they thought about killing off everyone, but that won't happen. He did say the ending will test hard core fans. I'm guessing Vic Mackey won't be challenging Aceveda for the mayor's job. Actor CCH Pounder (Claudette) said: "I think it's the greatest finale ever. It blew my socks off. This finale is what Vic Mackey deserves."

Vactican Forgives Lennon

From the BBC:
A Vatican newspaper has forgiven the late English singer John Lennon for saying four decades ago that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus.
In an article praising The Beatles, L'Osservatore Romano said Lennon had just been showing off.
Lennon told a British newspaper in 1966 - at the height of Beatlemania - that he did not know which would die out first, Christianity or rock and roll. At the time, the comparison sparked controversy in the US. The semi-official Vatican newspaper marked the 40th anniversary of The Beatles' "White Album" with an article praising Lennon and the Fab Four from Liverpool.

This could only bring to mind the brilliant Rutles: Nasty, talking to a slightly deaf journalist, had claimed only that the Rutles were bigger than Rod. Rod Stewart who would not be popular for another eight years.

Punk at Christies

Punk/Rock is showing at Christies this weekend. I took a look this afternoon. I think I need to clean out my closet and make a small fortune. Most posters are expected to go for $800 to $3000. Here's a few samples:


Expected to get between $400 to $600. How many of you also bought records at Free Being?

.

Expected to get between $2000 to $3000.

Sam Waterson in Conversation wtih Fordham Law

Alumni status has it's perks. Last night The Forum on Law, Culture & Society at Fordham Law School presented a conversation with "Atticus Finch in the Flesh" : Sam Waterson. To start the evening Sam was presented with a faux law degree from the University. The forum director Thane Rosenbaum injected humor, sarcasm and knowledge into the conversation. If Gene Wilder were a lawyer, he would be pretty close to Thane. Topics of fairness in the law and in life permeated the evening. Sam said he plays Jack McCoy, NY DA on Law & Order, as he has been doing it for 18 years, the way the writers intend him to be played. He doesn't believe in imposing his ideals or thoughts on the character. Several clips were played and after two of them, he noted how good the writing was.

He spoke of New York being a big player in Law & Order and how it would be a different show without it. He also likes the outdoor scenes as it's a change of pace. I think everyone I know in NY has seen them filming the show. My brush with the show was a surprise. With no production trucks or crew members visible, I entered Asphalt Green one morning and standing in the lobby in a trench coat was Jesse Martin. I immediately thought I know thus guy and said good morning, He responded. After I got in the elevator, I realized they were filming and I didn't actually know him, but felt like I did as Law & Order is more ubiquitous than almost anything I can think of including Duane Reade or Starbucks. New Yorkers think of Jack McCoy as one of them, which is a testament to Sam's portrayal.

A Hair Raising Hobby-Baseball Card Collecting

Collecting baseball cards used to be a passion of mine. Last year I gave my nephew a complete Topps set from 1990 (I think). Space becomes more of a problem these days than accumulating. Collecting cards started with the Monkees. I still have a few of those cards. Much like the Mod Squad cards I also collected, you could flip them over to reveal a piece of the puzzle, which was usually formed a larger than life size head of Julie Barnes. From there, I went to baseball cards

In the 5th grade Sr Pat took all my cards because I was flipping them in the school yard. Her archaic reasoning was that girls don't play with baseball cards. She proceeded to give my cards to the boys. Thank God this was my only encounter with what has gone down in legend as the wrath of the nuns. Never got a ruler across my knuckles, nor did I ever see that happen.

Fearing that their market is ever shrinking, trading card companies are now offering prizes in the packages of baseball cards. Like most industries and baseball itself, they are appealing to those with money. (note: adults with money get hooked as kids, so don't forget kids in the equation) According to today's WSJ: The industry has since streamlined, but "the good old days of building a set, one 15-card pack at a time, are pretty much over," Mr. Kelnhofer [editor of Card Trade, an industry monthly] says. While cheaper packs today go for around $2, he says, "the card makers' survival is predicated on attracting and keeping the collectors who make the big-ticket purchases."

Don't be surprised in your next package if you find a scratch off card letting you know you won a lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair . Topps starting offering DNA packs last year. You could win a lock of George Washington's hair. Does this mean in the future these winners will have in their hands the building blocks of cloning Pres Washington and Lincoln? The article points out that the hair is authenticated, but there is always room for a fake. There is also the issue of who owns the image of that person and for how long, which apparently varies from state to state.

There is a creepy element to these promotions. Most winners get rid of their spoils. The man who won Jackie Kennedy's hair sold it for $201. He thought he'd get more. The woman who wound up with Lincoln's hair accepted $24,000 for it. She's planning on donating some of the money to cancer research and maybe buying more cards with the rest. I'd love to know if including these hidden prizes actually accelerates the purchase of cards. I bought tons of cards to get one Tommie Agee. I'm happy to still have my Tommie Agee cards.