Best of 2005

Here goes:

Best overall release
Cream - Royal Albert Hall DVD (Rhino)

In May Cream went back to the Royal Albert Hall for four live shows. That the trio reformed is nothing short of a miracle. Bass player Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker were great on stage together, but even better at getting on each other nerves0. After the band broke up only Eric Clapton made it big as a solo artist.

Were the reunion concerts any good? Expectations went sky high. Would there be lengthy jams like in the old days? I have been listening to some audience recordings which quickly surfaced after the shows, and yes, there was a bit of magic coming through the static, but most of all it was obvious that the trio were enjoying themselves.

Obviously the band choose the best performances of each night, with a single bonus track on the CD version, and three for the DVD set. The DVD is the superior release, picking a few tracks that are not to be found on the CD version. The camera's get close, giving it it "on stage" feel. It's a bit sad that Ginger Baker is making a speech about the purchasing of T-shirts and other memorabilia in the hall after finishing his vocal duties on Pressed Rat and Warthog. Come on, Ginger, cut the crap and hit the drums. Highlights are the alternate take of Sleepy Time Time and Clapton fucking up the lyrics of Sunshine of Your Love before launching into a memorable solo. And Bruce is standing there, smiling.

Cream has stood the test of time in a galant way. There was some careless talk of them getting together to record new material. I for one keep my fingers crossed for another miracle - a new studio album in 2006 (or 2007). I am sure that the guy in the front row holding up a vinyl copy of Disraeli Gears shares my feelings.

» cream2005.com
» rhino.com

Stand-out live shows

1. Gov't Mule
2. Patti Smith
3. John Cale

Studio albums

1. New Monsoon - The Sound
2. Jack Stafford - Exes
3. Tom Langford - Here Comes Memory
4. John Cale - blackAcetate
5. Gov't Mule - Deja Voodoo
6. Neil Young - Prairie Wind

Asshole

Sony BMG president Thomas Hesse who was stupid enough to be quoted:
"Most people don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"

Mule 2005 live torrents: 12/29 & 12/30 New York

Yet two more Mule shows for you.

Gov't Mule
12/29/2005
Beacon Theater, NYC, NY, USA

» Grab your torrent

Gov't Mule
12/30/2005
Beacon Theater, NYC, NY, USA

» Grab your torrent

John Cale live date: Bratislava

John Cale performs in Bratislava.

• 03/05 Bratislava, Babylon, Slovakia
  babylonclub.sk

(thanks: Martin Polák)

» John Cale tour dates

Live Jambands in Holland #17: Disco Biscuits Amsterdam 2005-03-21 part #02

Episode 17 in the podcasts section Live Jambands in Holland:

Live Jambands in Holland #17:
Disco Biscuits
De Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005-03-21 part #02 (second night of Jam in the 'Dam 2005)
Running time: 54:03 -- 128 kbit
Taped by Scott Schneider

1. Basis for a Day >
2. Mulberry's Dream >
3. Basis for a Day

» discobiscuits.com

Download this show from the Live Music Archive.

Jack Bruce: Bremen 10/09/2001 torrent

FM broadcast with a kick-ass band.

Jack Bruce
10/09/2001
Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, Bremen, Germany

» Grab your torrent

Picture this: Kees Tabak

Kees Tabak made some great photo's in the seventies and eighties. Lou Reed, Madonna, Billy Idol, Freddy Mercury ....

» keestabak.nl

Benevento/Russo w/ Mike Gordon live torrent 12/27 Falls Church

Benevento/Russo Duo w/ Mike Gordon
12/27/2005
The State Theatre, Falls Church, VA, USA

» Grab your torrent

Benevento/Russo w/ Mike Gordon live torrent 12/26 Atlantic City

Benevento/Russo Duo w/ Mike Gordon
12/26/2005
Borgata Music Box Theatre, Atlantic City, NJ, USA

» Grab your torrent

SerialPod: Asheville Soundcheck (pre-XMAS Jam)

Justin Kreutzmann - yeah, he is Billy's son - was there for the soundcheck on 12/16 and posted an MP3.

SerialPod (TREY ANASTASIO, BILL KREUTZMANN, MIKE GORDON) would like to wish everyone a happy holidays and give you a listen to some of the music they created. The day of the show in Asheville they did a soundcheck and it turned into one of those great moments when the music took flight. The band was playing just for the love of the music. Only a few people were in the concert hall and I was one of them. I got some great video that I hope to make into a video of some sort one of these days.

» More

Bruce Springsteen: tribute to "Nebraska" in NYC

Being the Boss for one night:

Bruce Springsteen's celebrated 1982 album, "Nebraska", will be performed in its entirety by a host of notable artists next month as part of the New York Guitar Festival. Dubbed the Nebraska Project, the event will serve as the kick-off for the Guitar Festival, which will open Jan. 14 at the World Financial Center Winter Garden.

» More

Words about music (85): Charlie Watts

I don't need to hear Bill to go through a song. I need to hear Keith to go through a song. I know Bill will be playing what I'm playing anyway. I need to hear Keith because it's all there: the time, the chord changes, and all the licks you have to follow.

Charlie Watts

Joy Division to record new material

As you all know shooting for the Ian Curtis biopic Control starts next year. But here is more. Director Anton Corbijn has asked the survivors of the legendary Manchester four-piece to contribute songs to the film. Peter Hook:

"We were asked to do the soundtrack to the film which I thought was a fucking great idea, for Joy Division to do the music for a Joy Division film because we've never really done a soundtrack before. The soundtrack could include new stuff. Basically Anton wants to use certain songs by Joy Division so that each song becomes a video. Like the way the 'Atmosphere' video was filmed, he wants to write videos that appear in the film."

» More

Introducing: Harry and The Potters

Didn't know that the little brat made some music. But he did, with his little brother (yes, he has a little brother, Miss Rowling, he has, why don't we read about him, huh?)

» Harry and The Potters

And of course there are some live shows for free at the archive.org, but be careful:

IF YOU SELL THIS MY PET DEMENTOR WILL GIVE YOU A KISS

» Harry at the archive.org

(Thanks: Harm)

Live Jambands in Holland #16: Disco Biscuits Amsterdam 2005-03-21 part #01

Episode 16 in the podcasts section Live Jambands in Holland:

Live Jambands in Holland #16:
Disco Biscuits
De Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005-03-21 part #01 (second night of Jam in the 'Dam 2005)
Running time: 28:17 -- 128 kbit
Taped by Scott Schneider

1. banter/intro jam >
2. Confrontation >
3. King of the World >
4. Confrontation >

» discobiscuits.com

Download this show from the Live Music Archive.

Mother's Finest: Dutch radio 1989 torrent

Mother's Finest
10/xx/1989
Veronica Count Down Cafe, Escape Club, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1. Truth'll Set You Free
2. Fight The Feeling
3. Mickeys Monkey
4. Legs & Lipstic
5. Happy Together > Baby Love
6. You Got The Feeling
7. Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)

» Grab your torrent

John Cale live date: Vienna

John Cale performs in Vienna.

• 03/07 Vienna, Joe Zawinul's Birdland, Austria
  birdland.at

» John Cale tour dates

(thanks: Burkhard Schleser)

Velvets: Live MCMXCIII DVD in january

Got a feeling that 2006 is going to be good year ...

Archival label Rhino Records has set a January 24 release for the DVD debut of the Velvet Underground's "Live MCMXCIII," which chronicled the legendary act's brief 1993 reunion tour.
Previously only available on VHS, "Live" was taped June 15-17, 1993, at Paris' Olympia and features such classic cuts as "Venus in Furs," "Femme Fatale," "Rock'n'Roll," "Sweet Jane" "I'm Waiting for the Man," "Heroin" and "Pale Blue Eyes."
"Live" features the final performances of VU guitarist Sterling Morrison with bandmates Lou Reed, John Cale and Maureen Tucker, as he died of cancer in 1995, shortly before the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The DVD has been remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound.

» More
» Rhino Records

John Cale live date: Brno

John Cale performs in Brno.

• 03/08 Brno, Fleda Club, Czech Republic

» John Cale tour dates

(thanks: David Mácha)

Google Music Search

Google created another rather useful thingy: Google Music Search. Creates shortcuts to the most relevant websites, photo's and what-have-you.

» google.com/musicsearch

Trey Anastasio 2005 live torrents: 12/02 San Francisco

Trey Anastasio
12/02/2005
The Warfield, San Francisco, Ca, USA

» Grab your torrent

Serial Pod 2005 live torrents: 12/17

"Serial Pod"
Trey Anastasio w/ Mike Gordon, Bill Kreutzmann and Ivan Neville
12/17/2005
Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, NC, USA

» Grab your torrent

Mule 2005 live torrents: 12/17 Asheville

Yet one more Mule show for you. 17th Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam.

Gov't Mule
12/17/2005
Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, NC, USA

» Grab your torrent

The show by Warren Haynes with Edwin McCain & Kevn Kinney was taped as well.

» Grab your torrent

Words about music (84): Dee Dee Ramone

I like the guitar better these days. I like the bass, too, but it's hard to fit a bass amp in a small car.

Dee Dee Ramone

Patti Smith: Ralph Nader Rally 2005 torrent

Patti Smith
01/29/2005
Ralph Nader Rally, Cambridge, MA , USA

» Grab your torrent

Umphrey’s McGee: European spring 2006 tour

Apart from appearing at the second edition of Jam in the 'Dam in Amsterdam Umphrey’s McGee will be playing a few more European shows:

• 03/14 London, England
• 03/15 Milan, Italy
• 03/16 Paris, France
• 03/23 Hamburg, Germany

» umphreys.com
» jaminthedam.com

Live Jambands in Holland #15: Disco Biscuits Amsterdam 2005-03-20 part #03

Episode 15 in the podcasts section Live Jambands in Holland:

Live Jambands in Holland #15:
Disco Biscuits
De Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005-03-20 part #03 (first night of Jam in the 'Dam 2005)
Running time: 46:17 -- 128 kbit
Taped by Scott Schneider

1. I-Man >
2. spacebirdmatingcal
3. encore break
4. Encore: Run Like Hell

» discobiscuits.com

Download this show from the Live Music Archive.

AC/DC: Going Dutch torrent

Liberated Bon Scott era bootleg. SDB. Filler tracks (AUD) recorded at the Jaap Edenhal, Amsterdam, Netherlands 04/17/1977.

AC/DC
Going Dutch
10/23/1978
De Vereniging, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

» Grab your torrent

John Cale live dates: Montpellier, Lyon, Évreux and Tourcoing

>John Cale performs in Montpellier, Lyon, Évreux and Tourcoing.

• 02/20 Montpellier, Victoire 2, France
• 02/21 Lyon, Ninkasi, France
• 02/23 Évreux, Abordage, France
• 02/24 Tourcoing, Grand Mix, France

» John Cale tour dates

(thanks: Kris Minne)

Trey Anastasio 2005 live torrents: 12/06 San Diego

Trey Anastasio
12/06/2005
The 4th & B., San Diego, CA

» Grab your torrent

John Cale live dates: Genf and Luzern

John Cale performs in Genf and Luzern.

• 02/26 Genf, L'Usine, Switzerland
  more info
• 02/28 Luzern, BOA, Switzerland
  more info

» John Cale tour dates

(thanks: Burkhard Schleser)

Lou Reed: Sessions At West 54th Street DVD torrent

Lou Reed
05/01/2005
Sessions At West 54th Street, New York, NY, USA

» Grab your torrent

Patti Smith: CBGB's 2005 torrent

Patti Smith
05/01/2005
CBGB's, New York, NY, USA

» Grab your torrent

John Cale: Eat/Kiss at Carnegie Hall

Alarm Will Sound will perform selections from Eat/Kiss at Carnegie Hall - February 16.

» More

» John Cale tour dates

David Gilmour in Amsterdam

March 19, 2006 - David Gilmour plays Amsterdam, the Heineken Music Hall. Way cool! O, wait-a-minute - I can't make it, because I am at the Jam in the Dam in De Melkweg. Damn and blast, damn and blast, damn and blast!

Dear David, please sit in with Umphrey's. They start playing at 01:00 am. A taxi will get you in there in time.

Trey Anastasio 2005 live torrents (33): 12/07 Los Angeles

Trey Anastasio
12/07/2005
Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA , USA

» Grab your torrent

Live Jambands in Holland #14: Disco Biscuits Amsterdam 2005-03-20 part #02

Episode 14 in the podcasts section Live Jambands in Holland:

Live Jambands in Holland #14:
Disco Biscuits
De Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005-03-20 part#02 (first night of Jam in the 'Dam 2005)
Running time: 41:07 -- 128 kbit
Taped by Scott Schneider

1. Bazaar Escape
2. Svenghali
3. spacebirdmatingcal

» discobiscuits.com

Download this show from the Live Music Archive.

John Cale live date: Zürich

John Cale performs in Zürich.

• 02/27 Zürich, Moods, Switzerland

» John Cale tour dates

(thanks: Alexi)

Words about music (83): Trey Anastasio

The real reason I don't have to tune or break strings is because of the pact with the Devil that I made. That's just one of the clauses in the pact with the devil. Actually, contract negotiations for artists have improved since Robert Johnson. You gotta have a good lawyer when you're dealing with the devil. My contract is way better than Robert Johnson's.

Trey Anastasio

It was 25 years ago today

» johnlennon.com

Mule 2005 live torrents: 10/14 Seattle

Yet one more Mule show for you.

Gov't Mule
10/14/2005
The Showbox, Seattle, WA, USA

» Grab your torrent

Who invented podcasting? Adam? No, Dave!

Uh oh ... Adam Curry has tried to rewrite history anonymously in the Wikipedia podcasting entry. Gosh, it's so easy to track your IP.

The true genesis of podcasting has always been disputed in one corner of the blogosphere or another. In general, though, the main names that get the lion's share of the credit are former MTV VJ Adam Curry and blogging pioneer Dave Winer.
In general, Curry has been the poster child for the technology, probably because of his high-profile early career. But now, a flap that exploded in the blogosphere is calling Curry to task for how much credit he's been taking for creating podcasting and for how much credit he's been willing to give.

» More
» Being wicked at Wikipedia

Guitar Hero game

A game fo fullfill your dreams of being a guitar hero? Or just another expensive playback thingy?

Soundtrack includes songs as made famous by such legendary artists as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, Boston, Sum 41, Ozzy Osbourne, Audioslave, White Zombie, Franz Ferdinand, and The Ramones. So kiss that air guitar goodbye and get ready to rock.

» guitarherogame.com

Mule 2005 live torrents: 12/03 Cincinnati

Yet one more Mule show for you.

Gov't Mule
12/03/2005
Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Oh, USA

Guests:
Trevor Garrod & Josh Clarke (Tea Leaf Green), and Peter Frampton.

» Grab your torrent

Trey Anastasio 2005 live torrents: 12/03 San Francisco

Trey Anastasio
12/03/2005
The Warfield, San Francisco, Ca, USA

» Grab your torrent

Mule 2005 live torrents: 10/28 Las Vegas

Yet one more Mule show for you.

Gov't Mule
10/28/2005
Vegoose At Night
The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

» Grab your torrent

Metallica begin rehearsals for their next album

Metallica were due to begin rehearsals for their ninth studio album sometime this week, according to an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich in Danish newspaper B.T.. Ulrich, a native of Denmark, flew back to the San Francisco area from New York on Tuesday (November 29th), after which the band was to commence working. He said about the project, "I wouldn't say that I have a plan or an idea of where we're headed, but to kick start Metallica once again makes me happy like a kid."

» More

Picture this: Earl Gardner

Earl Gardner has made tons of cool in concert photo's of bands like the Disco Biscuits, My Morning Jacket, Particle and Umphrey's McGee.

» whatablast.com

Words about music (82): Tony Conrad

What I had learned first about John Cale was that he had written a piece which pushed a piano down a mine shaft. We hungered for music almost seething beyond control - or even something just beyond music, a violent feeling of soaring unstoppably, powered by immense angular machine across abrupt and torrential seas of pounding blood.

Tony Conrad

Mule 2005 live torrents: 12/02 Pittsburgh

Yet one more Mule show for you.

Gov't Mule
12/02/2005
Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

» Grab your torrent

Album cover quiz

Album cover quiz ... recognize the cover art of your favorite artist/band.

» Take the quiz

(Thanks: Harm)

Recommended blog: Recording Industry vs The People

Recording Industry vs The People is "a blog devoted to the RIAA's lawsuits of intimidation brought against ordinary working people." Accurate and funny, despite all the legal mumbo jumbo written by Ty Rogers, Ray Beckerman, and Dan Singer. Hey, these guys are lawyers, so they should know what they are talking about.

We are lawyers in New York City. We practice law at Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP.
Through the Electronic Frontier Foundation we and our firm have undertaken to represent people in our area who have been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for having computers whose internet accounts were used to open up peer-to-peer file sharing accounts.
We find these cases to be oppressive and unfair, as large law firms financed by the recording industry sue ordinary working people for thousands of dollars.

» recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com

RIAA vs David Byrne

David Byrne get his hand slapped by the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America. As per usual, the RIAA got it wrong. From David's journal:

The RIAA issued me a warning based on a previous radio playlist that featured all Missy Elliot, all the time. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which was passed by congress in 1998, was a hastily thrown together measure (in my opinion) which aimed to protect the music industry from the impending apocalypse. While some parts of the law seem reasonable, other aspects went somewhat overboard to protect the interests of the industry, before folks even knew what would be developed, invented or what half the terms actually meant.
In my case the law forbids streaming “radio” that features more than 4 tracks by any one artist in a three-hour period. My guess is that they may have confused streaming with downloading — in the same way that people often confuse downloading with file sharing. They are afraid that even if it’s not downloadable somehow if a fan knows there will be 3 Missy songs at a given time they can prepare their gear and tape them. The assumption being that sale is lost

» More
» riaa.com

Live Jambands in Holland #13: Disco Biscuits Amsterdam 2005-03-20 part #01

Episode 13 in the podcasts section Live Jambands in Holland:

Live Jambands in Holland #13:
Disco Biscuits
De Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005-03-20 (first night of Jam in the 'Dam 2005)
Running time: 48:29 -- 128 kbit
Taped by Scott Schneider

1. crowd/tuning
2. Morph Dusseldorph
3. House Dog Party Favor
4. Kitchen Mitts

» discobiscuits.com

Download this show from the Live Music Archive.

The Grateful Dead shows are back online

According to Relix the Grateful Dead shows are back online and available for download at archive.org - the audience tapes that is:

Complete recordings of Grateful Dead concerts should once again be available at the online Internet Archive (archive.org)—perhaps as early as tonight. According to Grateful Dead spokesman Dennis McNally, the removal on November 22 of all downloadable Dead recordings from archive.org was the result of "a great communication snafu."
"It is my understanding that by the end of the day, the audience tapes will be restored to archive.org," McNally said by phone.

Yup, they are back up. From the archive.org statement:

We at archive.org now realize that our mistaken attempts to move quickly were based on what we thought the Grateful Dead wanted. For this we apologize both to the Grateful Dead and their community. There has been a great deal of reaction, our actions have caused more than necessary.

» More in Relix
» The Grateful Dead on archive.org
» archive.org statement