· Do you feel like starting your own record label, boasting an artist lineup that includes Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and Maria Callas? A recent New York Times article by Anthony Tommasini has brought to light another weakness in the American record industry's armor - the upcoming tide of European import CDs that take advantage of Europe's copyright-protection laws that put recordings into the public domain after only 50 years.
While American copyright laws maintain ownership control for 95 years, European startups look to print and distribute any of these 50-year-old recordings, regardless of where the material was recorded. Think about it: Presley's first number-one hit, "Heartbreak Hotel," was released in January of 1956 - just three years away from free use in advertising and sampling.
· In other sound-bite-sampling news, the numerically obsessed artist formerly and currently known as Prince is slipping into radical copyright territory, as his Web site is offering a seven-CD set that features more than 700 samples from hits like "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," and "When Doves Cry" for $700. By coughing up this flat-fee arrangement, DJs, producers, and other musicians are allowed to use and incorporate these samples without any further royalty charges. While the set is ready to go now, none will ship until Prince has cleared the checks on 100,000 pre-orders.
· Further stretching the boundaries of intellectual property and creative serendipity is the news that the Bar None Records label will release a 28-track love letter to the "song poem" next month. Here's a release to check out if you've ever wondered what strange magic lies at the end of those classified advertisements in yesterday's tabloid and song-lyric magazines - the ads that encouraged novice songsmiths to send their original poems to an offbeat Nashville address (along with a check, of course), and bingo, your talent shines bright as "professional studio musicians" interpret your words into an "original" song (as long as stock country-and-western swing, psychedelic ramblings, or basic 12-bar redneck blues can be called original). The subjects that these lovable losers focus on invoke the wide peculiarities of man - moon landings, hospital patients, Jimmy Carter, the color yellow, and the loss of love to an Argentinean cowboy. Most amazing in this odd collection of "happy accidents" is the inclusion of John Trubee's classic "Blind Man's Penis," an early 1980s experiment on just how far these song mills would go. Accepting the most bizarre lyrics imaginable with the obligatory fistful of cash, a ragtag collection of old timers lay down that "hit" country beat, babbling Trubee's acid-laced lyrics.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Alanis Morissette tonight, Tom Petty on Thursday, and 3 Doors Down on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman features Interpol on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes David Bowie on Friday overnight, Coldplay on Monday overnight, and Thievery Corporation on Tuesday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with India.Arie on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, January 14:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
25th Hour - original motion picture soundtrack (Hollywood)
Appalachian Death Ride - Hobo's Cookbook (Anyway) second album of dark guitar rock from Athens, Ohio, featuring accordion and banjo
The Belles - Omerta (Lakeshore) gorgeous pop from Christopher Tolle and Jake Cardwell
Benzino - Redemption (Elektra) debut from this co-founder of The Source magazine
Chicago - original motion picture soundtrack (Epic) the new film version featuring the track "I Move on"
Cirque du Soleil - Varekai (RCA) original soundtrack composed by Violaine Corradi, who composed the music for the theatrical group's 1999 production of Dralion
DJ Me DJ You - Can You Feel the Music (Eenie Meenie)
Kathleen Edwards - Failer (Zoe/Rounder) from Canada
Evolotto - 6ixers (Sin Klub) aggressive metallic chaos from Ohio
Fishbelly Black - Crusader (Liquid/Rhythm & Groove) smooth jazz hip bop with Hammond B-3 organ
Gang of Four - Hard/Solid Gold (Wounded Bird) two-on-one CD re-issue of these out-of-print essentials from 1981 and 1983
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It on (Motown) featuring the rare track "You Sure Love to Ball"
Nicci Gilbert - Grown Folks Music (MCA) new solo album from the former Brownstone member, featuring "She'll Never Love You," co-written with Dave Hollister
Gordian Knot - Emergent (Sensory) featuring Bill Bruford of King Crimson and guests Steve Hackett of Genesis and Jim Matheos of Fates Warning
Green on Red - Gravity Talks (Wounded Bird) CD re-issue
House of Heroes - What You Want Is Now (Vanishing Point) debut from this teenage trio from Columbus, Ohio
The Knack - Re-Zoom (Smile Records/ Image) updated CD re-issue from 1998 with bonus and hidden tracks
Moral Crux - Pop Culture Assassins (Panic Button) all new
John Oates - Phunk Shui (Liquid/Rhythm & Groove) solo album from the Hall & Oates guitarist
Open Hand - The Dream (Trustkill)
Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Return of the Super Ape: Deluxe Edition (Goldenlane) CD re-issue of this reggae monster
Ratos de Porae - Onisciente Coletivo (Alternative Tentacles) fourth album of Brazilian hardcore
Sadaharu - Punishment in Hi-Fi (Universal Warning) re-issue of this mathcore release from 2001, with new artwork and CD-ROM video clips
The String Cheese Incident - Waiting for the Snow to Fall (Sci Fidelity) DVD of the band's Colorado home and live concert footage of a daylight show in a Telluride lodge
Symphorce - Phorceful Ahead (Metal Blade) in-your-face German power metal featuring chunky riffs and soaring vocals
various artists - Lookout Freakout Episode 3 (Lookout) super-cheap 20-track label sampler with new and rare tracks from Ted Leo, American Steel, The Pattern, and The Smugglers
various artists - Mob Action Against the State (Alternative Tentacles) recorded at the San Francisco Anarchist Book Fair, this CD spoken-word compilation features Jello Biafra, Christian Parenti, and Craig O'Hara
Paul Weller - Illumination (Yep Rock) domestic issue for this new solo album from The Jam founder, with guests Noel Gallagher of Oasis and Aziz Ibraim of The Stone Roses, and featuring bonus tracks and DVD videos found only on this side of the pond
Yes - Fragile (Rhino) re-mastered reissue featuring a bonus cover of Paul Simon's "America"
Frank Zappa - Live in New York: Halloween (DTS Entertainment) 5.1-channel surround-sound DVD Audio disc of this 1978 concert
· In other sound-bite-sampling news, the numerically obsessed artist formerly and currently known as Prince is slipping into radical copyright territory, as his Web site is offering a seven-CD set that features more than 700 samples from hits like "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," and "When Doves Cry" for $700. By coughing up this flat-fee arrangement, DJs, producers, and other musicians are allowed to use and incorporate these samples without any further royalty charges. While the set is ready to go now, none will ship until Prince has cleared the checks on 100,000 pre-orders.
· Further stretching the boundaries of intellectual property and creative serendipity is the news that the Bar None Records label will release a 28-track love letter to the "song poem" next month. Here's a release to check out if you've ever wondered what strange magic lies at the end of those classified advertisements in yesterday's tabloid and song-lyric magazines - the ads that encouraged novice songsmiths to send their original poems to an offbeat Nashville address (along with a check, of course), and bingo, your talent shines bright as "professional studio musicians" interpret your words into an "original" song (as long as stock country-and-western swing, psychedelic ramblings, or basic 12-bar redneck blues can be called original). The subjects that these lovable losers focus on invoke the wide peculiarities of man - moon landings, hospital patients, Jimmy Carter, the color yellow, and the loss of love to an Argentinean cowboy. Most amazing in this odd collection of "happy accidents" is the inclusion of John Trubee's classic "Blind Man's Penis," an early 1980s experiment on just how far these song mills would go. Accepting the most bizarre lyrics imaginable with the obligatory fistful of cash, a ragtag collection of old timers lay down that "hit" country beat, babbling Trubee's acid-laced lyrics.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Alanis Morissette tonight, Tom Petty on Thursday, and 3 Doors Down on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman features Interpol on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes David Bowie on Friday overnight, Coldplay on Monday overnight, and Thievery Corporation on Tuesday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with India.Arie on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, January 14:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
25th Hour - original motion picture soundtrack (Hollywood)
Appalachian Death Ride - Hobo's Cookbook (Anyway) second album of dark guitar rock from Athens, Ohio, featuring accordion and banjo
The Belles - Omerta (Lakeshore) gorgeous pop from Christopher Tolle and Jake Cardwell
Benzino - Redemption (Elektra) debut from this co-founder of The Source magazine
Chicago - original motion picture soundtrack (Epic) the new film version featuring the track "I Move on"
Cirque du Soleil - Varekai (RCA) original soundtrack composed by Violaine Corradi, who composed the music for the theatrical group's 1999 production of Dralion
DJ Me DJ You - Can You Feel the Music (Eenie Meenie)
Kathleen Edwards - Failer (Zoe/Rounder) from Canada
Evolotto - 6ixers (Sin Klub) aggressive metallic chaos from Ohio
Fishbelly Black - Crusader (Liquid/Rhythm & Groove) smooth jazz hip bop with Hammond B-3 organ
Gang of Four - Hard/Solid Gold (Wounded Bird) two-on-one CD re-issue of these out-of-print essentials from 1981 and 1983
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It on (Motown) featuring the rare track "You Sure Love to Ball"
Nicci Gilbert - Grown Folks Music (MCA) new solo album from the former Brownstone member, featuring "She'll Never Love You," co-written with Dave Hollister
Gordian Knot - Emergent (Sensory) featuring Bill Bruford of King Crimson and guests Steve Hackett of Genesis and Jim Matheos of Fates Warning
Green on Red - Gravity Talks (Wounded Bird) CD re-issue
House of Heroes - What You Want Is Now (Vanishing Point) debut from this teenage trio from Columbus, Ohio
The Knack - Re-Zoom (Smile Records/ Image) updated CD re-issue from 1998 with bonus and hidden tracks
Moral Crux - Pop Culture Assassins (Panic Button) all new
John Oates - Phunk Shui (Liquid/Rhythm & Groove) solo album from the Hall & Oates guitarist
Open Hand - The Dream (Trustkill)
Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Return of the Super Ape: Deluxe Edition (Goldenlane) CD re-issue of this reggae monster
Ratos de Porae - Onisciente Coletivo (Alternative Tentacles) fourth album of Brazilian hardcore
Sadaharu - Punishment in Hi-Fi (Universal Warning) re-issue of this mathcore release from 2001, with new artwork and CD-ROM video clips
The String Cheese Incident - Waiting for the Snow to Fall (Sci Fidelity) DVD of the band's Colorado home and live concert footage of a daylight show in a Telluride lodge
Symphorce - Phorceful Ahead (Metal Blade) in-your-face German power metal featuring chunky riffs and soaring vocals
various artists - Lookout Freakout Episode 3 (Lookout) super-cheap 20-track label sampler with new and rare tracks from Ted Leo, American Steel, The Pattern, and The Smugglers
various artists - Mob Action Against the State (Alternative Tentacles) recorded at the San Francisco Anarchist Book Fair, this CD spoken-word compilation features Jello Biafra, Christian Parenti, and Craig O'Hara
Paul Weller - Illumination (Yep Rock) domestic issue for this new solo album from The Jam founder, with guests Noel Gallagher of Oasis and Aziz Ibraim of The Stone Roses, and featuring bonus tracks and DVD videos found only on this side of the pond
Yes - Fragile (Rhino) re-mastered reissue featuring a bonus cover of Paul Simon's "America"
Frank Zappa - Live in New York: Halloween (DTS Entertainment) 5.1-channel surround-sound DVD Audio disc of this 1978 concert
