A rare and hard to find gem...
Friday, February 22, 2008
Grounds for Thought - John Jorgenson Quintet
John Jorgenson and quintet heats up Grounds for Thought
By: Laura Lee Caracciolo
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Pulse
Most coffee houses limit themselves to espresso and the occasional donut. Some might add chess and CDs to the mix. Grounds For Thought offers all of this and much more.
The popular coffee shop and bookstore, located at 174 S Main St, has been putting on free live shows once a month for the past several years.
Grounds owner Kelly Wicks came up with the idea nearly 18 years ago but it wasn't until recently that he decided to bring free live music to the Bowling Green community on a regular basis.
Past shows have drawn in an average of 150 people, but last Friday the John Jorgenson Quintet played to an audience of over 200, according to Wicks.
"It was the biggest crowd we've had to date," Wicks said. "In December we had a crowd of 170, so people seem to be responding really well to what's going on."
The Quintet performed two one-hour sets of lively gypsy jazz to an all-ages crowd which included many regulars.
Wicks rearranged the book cases to accommodate around a hundred seats, but the venue was so packed that many enthusiastic audience members stood in the aisles and the back of the room.
The mostly instrumental music was fast-paced, animated and created a comfortable atmosphere. The result was a very involved crowd - shouting, cheering and clapping during songs and after.
Between numbers, Jorgenson, who has recorded and toured with artists such as Elton John, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, would explain his inspirations and reasons for writing certain songs.
Fans lingered when the show was over to speak to the band and support them by purchasing merchandise. The energy of the music continued even after the band stopped playing which is a good sign of a successful show.
Each month Wicks hopes to appeal to a variety of audiences by bringing in bands of different musical genres.
The next show at Grounds is on March 19 and features the Chicago-based jazz ensemble, Eddie Shaw and the Wolfgang.
For more information on upcoming shows check out the Grounds For Thought Web site at www.groundsforthought.com.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Didn't I suggest Elton release an EP?
That's "Extended Player" for those of you scratching your heads...From Billboard;
Mraz Rolling Out New Album With EPs
Jason Mraz
February 21, 2008, 1:25 PM ET
Katie Hasty, N.Y.
Jason Mraz isn't so much releasing his upcoming effort as he is rolling it out. "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." will be available as trio of EPs, with each to hit shelves on different dates.
"We Sing" and "We Dance" will be released March 18 and April 15, respectively, while the third EP is merely bundled with the other two when the full-length debuts May 20. Purchased separately, the individual sets will come packaged with bonus alternate versions of the songs.
"We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." features Mraz' new single "I'm Yours," which appeared originally as a demo on an EP that accompanied his last album, "Mr. A-Z." The track resonated with fans and bred more than 300 user-generated music videos online. Mraz also tapped fellow songwriters James Morrison and Colbie Caillat to contribute to the album.
Mraz will perform Feb. 28 for iTunes Live: London Sessions in England in support of the album. Additionally, he's in the midst of planning a North American tour and already has dates slated for Europe, Australia and Asia.
"We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." is the follow-up to 2005's "Mr. A-Z," which debuted at No. 5 in 2005.
Elton and Mary J. Blige to duet at his Oscar party...
Mary J. Blige will join Elton John onstage for a duet at John's AIDS Foundation party Sunday after the Oscars.
John's annual Oscar party has raised more than $15 million over the past 15 years. Blige's AIDS-awareness efforts date to 2000, when she worked with MAC Cosmetics on its Viva Glam fund-raising campaign.
The "queen of hip-hop soul" has worked with John previously. He played piano on her single "Deep Inside." No word yet on what song the two will perform at the Oscar party.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
SeeqPod - Sugar On The Floor
Pretty cool new music search engine called SeeqPod.com which finds and plays just about anything. Here is one of the best "B-sides" ever;
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sudbury scandal goes on...
That's why they call it the blues in Sudbury: Elton ticket flap angers some fans
18 minutes ago
SUDBURY, Ont. - Sorry seems to be the hardest word, after an Elton John ticket flap in Sudbury.
Local hoopla over an upcoming concert by the pop music legend turned to scandal when it was revealed that city councillors got first crack at buying tickets, resulting in an apology from the mayor. Local media coverage prompted accusations of unfairness, with some citizens vowing revenge at the polls.
"They raise our taxes, do almost half of the meetings in camera," one anonymous poster griped on the Sudbury Star website.
"These people have been voted in with our trust and when that trust is broken it's time to go. Where would you draw the line?"
John's hotly anticipated March 2 show - one of just two Canadian stops on a greatest hits tour - saw 6,000 seats sell out in less than an hour in the city of roughly 85,000.
But disappointment turned to anger for some empty-handed fans when the Sudbury Star reported that 100 advance tickets were made available to city councillors.
The ruckus forced Mayor John Rodriguez to issue an apology last week before a city council meeting.
"My decision to offer so many advance purchase tickets to council was rushed and not given sufficient consideration. For that I apologize," Rodriguez said in his address, adding that the practice was not so unusual.
"These tickets are not free: the cost is paid in full by the councillor. This same practice occurs in the City of Kitchener, where Elton John is also playing next month."
Rodriguez did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday.
A spokesman for concert promoter Live Nation says it's common practice among most venues to let city officials have first dibs at tickets.
"Their practices are no different from all the other arenas I deal with in this country, whether it's privately owned or city owned," Riley O'Connor, chairman of Live Nation Canada, said from his Toronto office.
"I don't even know what the big deal is."
O'Connor said the Sudbury arena has sold an extra 1,200 seats for the pop star's show, including those located behind the stage and at the extreme sides. A typical front-of-stage set-up offers only 4,800 seats, he said.
"In fact there was more tickets available for this concert than any concert in the history of that arena, probably since 1978, April Wine," he said.
The manager of the Kitchener Auditorium says 61 advance tickets were sold to councillors in that city, plus another 382 advance tickets were made available to other city staff, venue suppliers, concert sponsors, and arena tenants like the minor hockey team.
"When somebody doesn't get access to something, I'm sure they're upset," manager Kim Kugler said from Kitchener.
"It does limit people's access but we try to make it as open and as available to people via (sales on the) Internet, phone, and in person."
Just over 6,500 tickets were sold in Kitchener, but Kugler said ongoing renovations to the auditorium could make more seats available for the March 3 concert.
John, whose hits include "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," "Bennie and the Jets," "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" and "Rocket Man," follows up the Ontario shows with a string of dates in Las Vegas.
-By Cassandra Szklarski in Toronto
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Could Sudbury be cancelled?
Maybe...
Elton John concert in jeopardy over ticket grab
Posted By Denis St. Pierre
The raging controversy over city council's self-awarded "perk" of scores of Elton John concert tickets is now jeopardizing the concert's fate, according to city officials.
The Star has learned that city officials fear the public uproar over the ticket fiasco is causing so much concern for the event promoter, the March 2 Elton John concert could be cancelled.
Furthermore, city management also fears the controversy will damage Sudbury's chances at securing major acts in the future, The Star has learned.
Thousands of Elton John fans came away empty-handed earlier this month when tickets available to the public sold out within 45 minutes. The city's website received one million hits during that brief period from would-be ticket buyers.
One week later, The Star reported city council had jumped the queue and given itself first crack at more than 100 tickets, which prompted a deluge of public protest and anger. While councillors took an average of eight tickets, the actual numbers ranged from as few as two tickets to a whopping 22 purchased by one councillor, sources have told The Star.
The public furore has continued virtually unabated over the last week as several city councillors refuse to disclose how many concert tickets they obtained, while the municipal administration steadfastly refuses to divulge precisely how many tickets were available to the public.
All city council members were contacted Friday with regard to the latest startling revelation uncovered by The Star - that the controversy may be jeopardizing the Elton John concert as well as other major events in the future.
In an e-mail message sent to the mayor and councillors, the politicians were asked if they shared the concern that the ticket controversy is jeopardizing the Elton John concert and future events.
They also were asked if the disconcerting news might compel them to disclose how many concert tickets they purchased and what they have done with those tickets.
As of press time Friday night, none of the councillors responded to The Star's invitation for comment. There was one response sent from the city, indicating Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan is away and not available for comment.
To date, the following council members have disclosed how many tickets they purchased: Mayor John Rodriguez (10), Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac (13), Ward 7 Coun. Russ Thompson (eight), Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan (eight), Ward 3 Coun. Claude Berthiaume (seven), Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann (three), Ward 6 Coun. Andr‚ Rivest (two).
Friday, February 15, 2008
How about "Keyboard Hero: Elton John"
New Guitar Hero gives sweet emotion to Aerosmith fans
By Scott Hillis 30 minutes ago
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Activision Inc on Friday unveiled a new "Guitar Hero" video game focusing on the rock band Aerosmith, taking the billion-dollar franchise in a new direction.
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Called "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," the new game will arrive in stores this summer, a surprise to many analysts and fans who had expected the next title to come out closer to the year-end holiday shopping season.
Aerosmith, known for hits such as "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion," is the top-selling American rock band of all time, with sales of 66.5 million albums in the United States alone.
The game will feature about 30 Aerosmith songs as well as others from various acts that have opened for the band. The price has not yet been set.
"The premise is that it's going to cover the 30-plus years of the band, from high school all the way through the rock superstardom of today," Kai Huang, head of Activision's RedOctane unit, which guides development of the franchise, told Reuters in an interview.
In the "Guitar Hero" games, players try to press colored buttons on a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes cascading down the screen. If the notes are hit, the song plays properly, and the player earns points.
Since the original "Guitar Hero" was released in late 2005, the series has gone on to sell more than $1 billion. Depending on the version, a bundle including the game and a controller costs from $80-$100, while the stand-alone game costs $40-$60.
When Activision reported quarterly earnings last week, analysts grilled the company on its plans for the franchise, expressing concern that sales would slow this year because many players who bought earlier versions with guitars would opt to buy the lower-price stand-alone game disks.
Huang said Activision had not yet decided whether it would offer a special controller with the Aerosmith game.
NEW DIRECTION
The focus on a single band marks a new twist for the franchise, whose three main titles featured dozens of artists spanning classic rock, grunge, metal, punk and other rock subgenres. Last year, Activision also released "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s" with songs from that decade.
"It's just a completely new way to interact with this music and with Aerosmith, and we think there's more opportunity to do that in the future," Huang said.
By spotlighting a single band, the company has also come up with a way to counter rival music game "Rock Band" from Viacom Inc unit MTV and Electronic Arts Inc, Activision's top competitor.
"Rock Band," which includes drums and a microphone as well as a guitar, each week has offered new songs that can be downloaded to consoles like Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's PlayStation 3.
The music industry is eyeing "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" as a way to revive flagging sales. "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero 3," both launched last fall, have together sold millions of songs at about $2 each via download.
Speaking of Aerosmith's willingness to work on the project, Huang said: "They recognize that it can deliver their music in an innovative and new way. It's a new distribution platform for them."
To recreate the sense of attending an Aerosmith concert, developers held motion-capture sessions with band members, including energetic frontman Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry.
"As you play," Huang said, "you're going to be seeing Joe and Steven doing their moves onstage."
(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
Elton adds second show at Beasley
Elton John announces second WSU show
The Daily Evergreen
Beasley Coliseum announced today that Elton John will be performing a second show for Mom's Weekend. John was originally slated to perform on Saturday, April 12, but a second performance was added for April 13, after an enormous volume of phone calls and e-mails were sent to Beasley, according to the news release.
In contrast to the first time tickets were sold, a certain number for the second show have been reserved for students, according to an e-mail from Beasley Coliseum director Leo Udy. Students will be allowed to line up starting Sunday at 6 a.m. in front of the Beasley Coliseum ticket office. Randomly numbered wristbands will be distributed to the students in line from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets will go on sale on Monday at 10 a.m., in the order of the numbers on the wristband. Tickets will be limited to four per student.
EJ ticket controversy continues...
Councillor bought up to 22 Elton John tickets
Posted By Denis St. Pierre
Greater Sudbury Ward 11 Coun. Janet Gasparini purchased between 16 and 22 tickets to next month's Elton John concert, making her the largest buyer in city council's Ticket Gate controversy.
Sources say Gasparini reserved 22 tickets for the once-in-a-lifetime concert, but may have ended up with as few as 16 tickets after providing as many as six to council colleagues.
Before the concert tickets went on sale to the public, councillors were allowed to jump the queue and buy eight tickets each. After some councillors opted not to purchase eight tickets, the leftovers were offered to the remaining politicians and Gasparini was the biggest buyer, sources say.
Gasparini, one of six councillors who have refused to disclose how many tickets they purchased, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Meanwhile, Mayor John Rodriguez says city council's ticket grab for the March 2 concert did not violate council's code of conduct. Nor does the raging controversy signal a need for a stricter rules, adds Rodriguez.
Several angry citizens have contacted The Star to suggest the ticket grab by the mayor and councillors does indeed violate the code of conduct, which is entrenched in a municipal bylaw. As a result, these critics say, the politicians should be forced to return the tickets.
Furthermore, some outraged citizens suggest council should adopt a stricter code of conduct - similar to what is in place in other cities - that would unequivocally prohibit the preferred ticket access council has given itself.
Council's code of conduct includes a section titled "acceptance of gifts," which dictates that the mayor and councillors "shall ... not accept a fee, gift or other benefit that is connected directly or indirectly with the performance of the duties of his/her office."
The mayor and councillors have emphasized that, although they were given first crack at scores of Elton John concert tickets, they had to buy the tickets, therefore they were not gifts.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Sorry!
This is quite the controversy up in Canada;
Mayor sorry for handling of Elton John concert tickets
Posted By Denis St. Pierre
Mayor John Rodriguez has taken responsibility for allowing city councillors to buy "so many" tickets for next month's Elton John concert.
"My decision to offer so many advance purchase tickets to council was rushed and not given sufficient consideration. For that I apologize," the mayor said at the outset of Wednesday night's city council meeting.
In a rare departure from normal procedure, the mayor read a prepared statement before beginning regular council business Wednesday.
The 365-word statement was a response to the public furore over the preferential treatment that allowed council first dibs on more than 100 tickets for the March 2 Elton John concert.
"I want to speak directly to the people of Greater Sudbury," Rodriguez said.
While he stated that council must learn from its "mistakes," the mayor also reiterated some of his positions on the controversy that have offended many city residents.
In particular, Rodriguez emphasized that councillors did not get any freebies, nor is council the only such group in the province to get first choice on tickets to exclusive events at municipal facilities. "These tickets are not free: the cost is paid in full by the councillor. This same practice occurs in the City of Kitchener, where Elton John is also playing next month," he said.
The mayor also maintained that "the practice of making tickets available to councillors and staff is a longstanding one" at the city. That assertion, particularly with regard to the actions taken by council with Elton John tickets, has been disputed by a former councillor, by a current councillor (in an off-the-record admission) and by a former advisor in the mayor's office.
In fact, Rodriguez noted last week that the opportunity provided to council for Elton John tickets was not offered to the politicians for the two recent, sold-out performances of Michael Buble.
The mayor also said in his statement Wednesday that he has directed city staff to prepare "an open and transparent policy to ensure that this type of debacle never happens again."
The Elton John concert should be a "very positive event for our city and our citizens," Rodriguez said.
Elton John Tour Dates from LiveDaily
February 2008
28 - Portland, ME - Cumberland County Civic Center
March 2008
2 - Sudbury, Ontario - Sudbury Arena
3 - Kitchener, Ontario - Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex
6 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
10 - Newark, DE - Bob Carpenter Center
12 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Civic Center
14 - Pensacola, FL - Pensacola Civic Center
15 - Tallahassee, FL - Tallahassee Civic Center
16 - Gainesville, FL - Stephen O’Connell Center
19 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
21-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
24-26 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
28-29 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
31 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
April 2008
1-2 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4-6 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11 - Missoula, MT - Adams Center
12 - Pullman, WA - Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum
June 2008
3-4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
6-7 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
9-11 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
13-14 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
16-18 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
20-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Aretha Franklin is not happy!
Franklin slams Beyonce Grammy intro
Tue Feb 12, 11:52 PM ET
LOS ANGELES - When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words. On Tuesday, the longtime Queen of Soul slammed Beyonce Knowles' intro to Tina Turner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, "the queen."
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"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."
E-mails to Knowles' publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen Jaime Sarachit and Barb Deghan were not immediately returned.
In the first few seconds of Knowles' intro to Turner's performance, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the "Crazy in Love" chanteuse focused on Turner.
"There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent," said Knowles, strutting in hot pants. "Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."
At a party later that night, Knowles called Turner her "ultimate icon."
Still, Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, "love to Beyonce anyway."
Known for such hits as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools," Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet "Never Gonna Break My Faith" with Mary J. Blige.
Is this worthy of devastation?
An Elton John fan in Canada is devastated that she could not get tickets to see Elton on March 2 in Subury;
Elton John fan 'devastated'
Posted -59 sec ago
The entire sequence of events involving the Elton John ticket sales has become an atrocity of colossal proportions, frustrating many of his life long fans in the Northern Ontario area. The manner in which the tickets were sold was questionable to say the least and now, to learn that there were tickets sold to the mayor and city councillors before the website opened ... well, I shouldn't be surprised, but I am dismayed, as I'm sure many other fans are with this miscarriage.
I am a huge, life-long fan who stood in line at nine years old (1973) to buy an Elton John album on the day it was released. I have to wonder if these politicians knew as children that they would be politicians, and that they would never have to stand in line for anything. Ever. If they did think that, I guess they would have been right.
Not that being a huge fan for my entire life makes me any more privileged than anybody else to purchase tickets, but what is the reason behind the councillors and mayor buying tickets before they went on sale? There should be an even playing field for all of us, whether we are politicians or just the common voting public.
I am sure Sir Elton would be truly disappointed to learn exactly what happened here with the ticket sales. I have found tickets being scalped by so many people that had no intention of attending the concert, they only bought them to make a profit. If Elton John wanted anybody to make money off of his concerts, it would most certainly be a charity that helps children with AIDS, not scalpers' blatant profiteering for whatever personal expenses they may have. This is just one more thing about Elton John that any fan would know.
This entire ticket fiasco has been devastating to me and to think I will be sitting at home the night that Elton is playing the Sudbury arena is absolutely incomprehensible to me. Oh, yes, I could buy tickets for upwards of $600 apiece, but some of us cannot afford that. I am a single mom and I could never justify such an expense.
I have a feeling that when our mayor and city councillors are down at the Sudbury Arena on March 2 doing the Crocodile Rock, they really won't give a damn about those of us who aren't.
Janet Derks
Sudbury
Thursday, February 07, 2008
What's next: Some ideas from me...
It's now been over a year since The Captain and the Kid
I wish I knew. If I find out anything I will be sure to post the info.
However I do have a few ideas for projects I personally would like to see Elton undertake. So for whatever it's worth here they are.
An All-Star Instrumental Rock-n-Roll Album
One project I've always thought would be interesting is Elton putting together an all-star line-up of rock-n-roll veterans as well as his current band and recording an album of instrumental rock songs, covers and originals. Sort of like the tune Rockestra as performed by Paul McCartney on his album Back To The Egg
Release an EP of new material recorded before a live audience
This one would either be a brilliant idea or it would crash-n-burn. I think the trick to making this work would be to record it before a small studio audience similar to how 11-17-70 was recorded. Make it an intimate setting with Elton talking to the audience about the tracks before performing them and perhaps answering questions. Sort of like the VH1 Storytellers series. And since it would be an EP (that means Extended Play as opposed to LP) it would only have to be five or six new songs and sold at a reduced price.
Record a Smooth Jazz album
The only style of jazz I like is called Smooth Jazz. I've always liked the breezy feel of smooth jazz and think that Elton could easily pull off a smooth jazz album. It really fits his style of music and could be quite a enjoyable listen. Some tracks could be instrumental and other he can add vocals too.
Of course Elton could always go back in the studio and record another "Elton John" album that will receive critical acclaim from critics and fans. It will then tank on the charts and all of us fans will be furious.
Then there is that rap album idea.....just kidding.
Slash: one of the major guitar players I was attracted to was definitely Davey.
Slash lists Davey Johnstone as one his musical favorites;
Artist: Davey Johnstone
Backstory: The longtime lead guitarist in Elton John's band, Johnstone plays with equal taste and fire. He has also worked with Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Joan Armatrading and others. Some of his most memorable playing with Elton John includes the riff-happy “Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting” and the epic ballad “Candle in the Wind.”
Slash: “This will probably be the first time I've been prompted to say this in an interview, but when I think of '70s rock guitar – which I was hugely influenced by – one of the major guitar players I was attracted to was definitely Davey. His playing is very melodic and always appropriate for the song.”
Elton's Oscar party still on
Elton John's annual post-Oscar party plans still moving forward
The Associated Press
02/06/2008 05:02:54 PM PST
LOS ANGELES—Vanity Fair's post-Oscar party is off, but Elton John's is on.
The singer and AIDS activist is moving forward with plans for his 16th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party, the foundation announced Wednesday.
"This event is our most important fundraiser of the year," it said in a statement. "Last year, we raised over $4.3 million and we expect to exceed that record this year."
John will also play a special concert set at the party, backed by his full band.
Vanity Fair canceled its party in support of striking Hollywood writers and others affected by the labor action.
John's viewing party, held at the Pacific Design Center, is always lavish and star-studded, boasting past guests such as Denzel Washington, Sting, Sharon Stone, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Spacey and Halle Berry. Among the expected guests at the Feb. 24 soiree are Victoria and David Beckham, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, Donatella Versace and Elizabeth Taylor.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
What happened: "The Captain and The Kid"
The Captain and the Kid is the third album in a career-resurrecting run that began in 2001, when Elton John took the novel approach of sitting down at a piano and writing songs that sound a lot like Elton John. The album is a sequel to 1975's chart-topping Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, and it has moments that rival the original: The songs are precision instruments, from the honky-tonk pop of "Just Like Noah's Ark" to pristine ballads like the title track. With lyricist Bernie Taupin in tow, The Kid traces thirty-odd years' worth of ups and downs that befall the duo. The story line gets a little murky and the album cheeses out on songs like "The Bridge." But more than just a gift to fans, it shows Elton's gifts haven't deserted him. And that's more than good enough.
And then Universal stepped in.
Of all the wonderful songs on "The Captain and The Kid" the absolute worst choice was made as the lead single. Instead of going with any of the terrific mid-tempo songs from the album such as "Just Like Noah's Ark" or "Tinderbox" or even the self-promoting title cut Universal made the safe choice and released to radio-only (another mistake) "The Bridge." A piano only track with up-front vocals from Elton and a beautiful vocal bridge, nonetheless it was not radio-friendly nor was it memorable. Quite frankly it was a boring track and did not fairly represent the overall outstanding quality of the rest of the album. It did reasonably well at AC radio where Elton has become a staple. However it did not generate much buzz for the album and Universal decided not to release a second track to radio effectively killing the album. Curiously a wonderful video was produced for "Tinderbox" reminiscent of the Beatles "Free As A Bird" video which interspersed archival footage of Elton, Bernie and the boys into colorful nostalgic scenes of Elton in the 1970s. And another odd note was that one of the promotional placements for this video was on MLB.com, the Major League Baseball official website.
As a result of the poor choice for the lead single and no then follow-up the album tanked on the charts and Universal essentially abandoned it. Elton was not happy. He publicly ridiculed Universal and begged them to drop him from their label.“Nobody would know the album has been out since September.
“My record label isn’t doing anything to help. F— Universal. Please drop me. I’m 58 and I don’t care anymore.”
Quite frankly I think Elton is exactly correct. He needs to get away from the traditional record labels like Universal and go in a new direction in regards to promoting his new music. He has nothing left to prove and can probably do a much better job of getting his music out in front of a new audience as well as his core fan base. He has several options available to him in my opinion;
One option is to take the Paul McCartney route and sign with a label like Starbucks "Hear Music" which will enthusiastically and aggressively promote his new material. They have their own XM Radio channel which can feature the music as well as selling the CDs in the coffee shops.
Another option is to strike a deal similar to what Madonna did when she signed with Live Nation. The Madonna deal includes "new studio efforts, tours, merchandise, DVD releases, sponsorships, licensing agreements, fan club, Web site, and TV and film projects." The problem here is Elton has never shown the least bit of interest in the internet, in fact he hates the internet and wishes it were non-existent. This is a foolish position to take. The internet can open up Elton to an unlimited number of new fans if he would embrace it and use it to his advantage.
Elton could also just market his new music on his own website eltonjohn.com along with other exclusive merchandise. But that hating-the-internet problem gets in the way again.
As I said, Elton has nothing to prove to anyone and could easily not release another album ever again. His position as a rock legend is well established. But his creative juices are still flowing and I don't see him just disappearing off the music scene. He loves to write music, tour and perform so while he is still has the desire he will continue to record new music. However, Elton clearly needs took go in a new direction getting his new music out in front of the new music fans in order to avoid the disaster of "The Captain and The Kid" from happening again.
OT: Writer Strike Finally Almost Over
Thanks goodness....now get those Lost writers back to working on the best show on TV!
Hollywood on verge of deal to end writers strike
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Negotiators for Hollywood studios and striking writers have agreed to terms of a new contract that could be presented to union leaders in days and, if approved, end their three-month-old labor clash later this week, two sources told Reuters on Monday.
While the outlines of an accord were reached over the weekend, the two sides still need to hammer out contract language before a deal is submitted for approval to the governing boards the East and West Coast branches of the Writers Guild of America, they said.
Those sources, who were briefed on the status of talks but were not authorized to speak publicly about them under a media blackout, said negotiators hoped action by the WGA boards on a deal could come as early as Friday.
An endorsement by WGA leaders presumably would be accompanied by a decision to call off the strike, but if the WGA boards were divided, the walkout might continue pending a ratification vote by rank-and-file members.
One source said the big breakthrough in the latest round of talks, which began Jan. 23, came on the key sticking point of how much writers should be paid for advertising-supported Internet "streaming" of television shows.
Elton adds North American dates
Elton John expands North American run
February 5, 2008 06:02 AM
By Kym Kilgore
Elton John [ tickets ] has squeezed several more secondary-market appearances in between his "Red Piano" dates in Las Vegas.
The superstar will start back up in North America Feb. 28 with shows in Portland, ME; Manchester, NH; and Sudbury and Kitchener, Ontario. After his next run of Vegas gigs from mid-March to early April, he'll play Missoula, MT, and Pullman, WA. Then it's back to Vegas in June and off to Europe for a two-week stint that wraps in mid-July. North American shows are listed below and those overseas can be found at John's website.
The Grammy-winning singer signed on to keep his "Red Piano" residency at Sin City's Colosseum at Caesars Palace through this year. He's put in about 50 annual performances at the venue since 2004.
John, who is celebrating his fourth decade of touring, launched 2008 with a short trek through South Africa, during which he visited projects funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and oversaw the opening of three more "cluster homes," which offer a safe refuge and care for children.
Last year, John played his record-breaking 60th show at New York City's Madison Square Garden to celebrate his 60th birthday. He marked the occasion in March with the release of "Rocket Man - Number Ones," an 18-song hits collection covering the first 35 years of his career. The concert itself was captured on a two-disc DVD, "Elton John 60: Live at Madison Square Garden," which also includes rare footage from a variety of television shows and concert segments.
"The Captain & the Kid," John's latest set of new material with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, surfaced in 2006 and peaked at No. 18 on The Billboard 200. The album is billed as a sequel to 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."
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