Manager Declares the Death of Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page’s manager has played down reports of a possible Led Zeppelin reunion without Robert Plant. Speaking to Music Radar, Peter Mensch said, "Led Zeppelin are over! If you didn't see them in 2007, you missed them. It's done. I can't be any clearer than that."

Plant has said he wouldn't consider playing with the band for a good two years, as he continues to tour behind the Raising Sand record with Alison Krauss. While Mensch admitted that Led Zeppelin's three other members auditioned some possible Plant replacements, he insists, "no one worked out... There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it."

Zing! One catch, though: Mensch said he has no idea what Page's plans are for the rest of 2009, so maybe he isn't in the loop after all.

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Antony and the Johnson "The Crying Light"

Antony and the Johnson's breakthrough second album I Am a Bird Now won the UK's Mercury Prize in 2005. The success that followed introduced many to a pioneering soul singer exploring themes that traversed darkness and light, life and death, male and female. Antony's inimitable voice sparked the interest of artists ranging from Bjork to Hercules and Love Affair, resulting in a series of critically acclaimed collaborations.

The Crying Light is the highly anticipated full-length follow-up to I Am a Bird Now. Here, Antony shifts the thematic focus and explores his relationship with the elemental and natural world, and the intimacy of the Johnsons' sound is enveloped by subtle symphonic arrangements. The first moments of "Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground" set the stage, conjuring an animist world with enigmatic lyrics, painterly clarinet lines, and a lilting piano that cradles the listener over a menacing quarry of strings. The spiraling waltz of "Epilepsy Is Dancing" and the joyful ricochets of "Kiss My Name" are to follow. The record's centerpiece, "Another World" traces despair in the face of a vanishing landscape. The hypnotic vocal on "Dust and Water" unfurls like smoke, and the track "Everglade", co-arranged with Nico Muhly, concludes the album. Here Antony realizes that his "...Limbs (have) stopped Crying for Home..." and falls into a musical reverie that seems inspired in its sense of pastoral abandon by the legendary Butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno, whose eerie portrait graces the cover of The Crying Light .

Antony and the Johnsons' music bridges the gap between avant-classical music and the blues, and Antony and his band have sold out performances from Carnegie Hall to the Apollo. The Crying Light may become one of those albums that becomes emblematic of its time, a reflection of the momentous changes that we are facing, within each of our private worlds as well as collectively, and how we are summoning the courage to start moving through them.

The Crying Light will be released January 20th, 2009.

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Isaac Hayes' landmark album to be reissued posthumously

Isaac Hayes' landmark 1971 album 'Black Moses' is set to be reissued next month.

The late soul man's original label Stax Records is set to re-release the album on February 24 in the US. The songs have been newly remastered from the original tape recordings, and the package will include recent liner notes written by Stax scholar Rob Bowman.

Also on February 24, Stax will reissue Hayes' 1976 disco album, 'Juicy Fruit'. This will be the first time the album will be available in CD format. It will include liner notes written by music historian Bill Dahl.

Hayes, who won several Grammy Awards and provided the voice of animated show 'Southpark's Chef later in his career, passed away in August, as previously reported.

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10 hot new music acts for 2009

With blues-infused folk, some doo-wop soul and electro synth-pop aplenty, there’ll be something for everybody. Dan Cairns picks this year’s next big things.

http://www.myspace.com/vvbrown
http://www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachinemusic
http://www.myspace.com/karimafrancis
http://www.myspace.com/frankmusik
http://www.myspace.com/ladygaga
http://www.myspace.com/leleisbanging
http://www.myspace.com/terrylynnkingstonlogic
http://www.myspace.com/lisalisamitchell
http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams
http://www.myspace.com/thecocknbullkid

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Bono Guest Columnist in the New York Times

Bono, the lead singer of U2, on what Frank Sinatra taught him about art, innocence and experience.

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Buddha Machine 2.0

By Sasha Frere-Jones, The New Yorker

The electronic musicians Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian live in Beijing and work under the name FM3. In 2005, they released their Buddha Machine, a collection of nine audio loops ranging in length from five to forty seconds and housed in a small brightly colored plastic box fitted with a speaker, like a transistor radio from the last century. Until a new sound is selected, a loop repeats infinitely (or until the battery runs out). You can (and should) listen while you read, relax, exercise, or cook: my original blue Buddha Machine has kept me sane through many an evening of chopping and dicing. Virant and Zhang perform live with multiple Buddha Machines, sometimes battling. They have also designed custom housings, one made partly from tea leaves. The Buddha Machine 2.0 is out now for around twenty bucks, featuring nine new loops and a pitch control. You can also download both sets of loops from the FM3 Web site, buy a Buddha Machine app for your iPhone ($3.99), or go to a Web site called Zendesk that has arrayed twenty-one virtual Buddha Machines into a wall of sound.

There is a blog follow-up here, a Flickr album here and a YouTube video here.

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Product info from Forced Exposure:

The Beijing-based duo FM3 is back with an all-new version of their wildly successful 2005 release, the Buddha Machine. Introducing Buddha Machine 2.0: 9 new loops. 3 new colors. Pitch bend. Blurring the line between music box and musical instrument, the Buddha Machine 2.0 is an interactive album that lets users customize the listening experience. Drop the pitch and the music ebbs in a low ambient drone. Boost the speed and suddenly its alive with melody. Add a few more machines, set them at different speeds and you have an evolving audio perfume. Plug it into a mixer, add some beats or vocals or guitar... FM3 won't mind. In fact, they encourage people to use the Buddha Machine as inspiration. Since its release in 2005, the original Buddha Machine has sold more than 50,000 units worldwide and has won praise from artists as diverse as Daft Punk, Gorillaz, Low, Monolake, Sunn O))), Blixa Bargeld and Mike Patton. Legendary producer Brian Eno was the first customer for the original Buddha Machine and nearly 3 years later told FM3 he still "cherishes" his purchase! Similar in shape and design to the original Buddha Machine, but boasting more robust construction and improved sound quality, the 2.0 comes in three colors: burgundy, grey and brown. For those who haven't experienced the pleasure of the original, the Buddha Machine is essentially a small plastic box that plays ambient loops. The loops repeat endlessly until the "track" is switched or the two AA batteries (not included) run out. The machine has its own built-in speaker and there is also a headphone jack for a more personal experience. But the charm of the device isn't nearly as specific: the Buddha Machine has a calming presence in today's fast-paced world. Its charm mixes with FM3's innovative music to provide the owner with an experience that is hard to define. Essentially, it's a box with a life, a tool for living, and to many, it's a friend. Founded in 1999 by Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian, FM3 are considered pioneers of electronic music in China. Inspired by Buddhist prayer boxes found at temples around Asia, the duo released the original Buddha Machine in April 2005, winning acclaim in publications including BoingBoing.net, The New York Times and Arthur magazine.

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John Barry web exclusive

As a kid growing up in World War II–era York, John Barry spent every Saturday in one of his father’s cinemas, figuring out what made a movie great. As a young musician in 60s London, he became an immortal part of the process, famous for arranging the “James Bond Theme,” writing the Goldfinger title song, and scoring more than 90 films, including Midnight Cowboy, Born Free, and Out of Africa. At age 75, after five Oscars, four wives, and a lot of glamour, Barry talks about the magic he made.

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The International Noise Conspiracy

Edwyn Collins and His Birds of Recovery

Edwyn Collins is that cool Scottish guy who was the singer in Orange Juice. They were one of the best and most original British pop bands ever. He also did that song “A Girl Like You” that has been used in a million commercials and movies, especially in montages of women trying on clothes at fancy stores.

In 2005, Edwyn suffered two major brain hemorrhages that left him unable to walk, talk, or use his right hand. He was not even able to read anymore. His brain had lost the ability to work out letters and words.

Over the next three years, with the help of therapists and the encouragement of his wife, Grace Maxwell, Edwyn started drawing animals, primarily birds, with his left hand, as a way of teaching his body and mind how to work again.

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Mitch Mitchell, drummer for Hendrix, found dead

Mitch Mitchell, drummer for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience of the 1960s and the group's last surviving member, was found dead in his hotel room early Wednesday. He was 61.

Mitchell was a powerful force on the Hendrix band's 1967 debut album "Are You Experienced?" as well as the trio's albums "Electric Ladyland" and "Axis: Bold As Love." He had an explosive drumming style that can be heard in hard-charging songs such as "Fire" and "Manic Depression."

The Englishman had been drumming for the Experience Hendrix Tour, which performed Friday in Portland. It was the last stop on the West Coast part of the tour.

Hendrix died in 1970. Bass player Noel Redding died in 2003.

An employee at Portland's Benson Hotel called police after discovering Mitchell's body.

Erin Patrick, a deputy medical examiner, said Mitchell apparently died of natural causes. An autopsy was planned.

"He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a true friend," said Janie Hendrix, chief executive of the Experience Hendrix Tour and Jimi Hendrix' stepsister. "His role in shaping the sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience cannot be underestimated."

Bob Merlis, a spokesman for the tour, said Mitchell had stayed in Portland for a four-day vacation and planned to leave Wednesday.

"It was a devastating surprise," Merlis said. "Nobody drummed like he did."

He said he saw Mitchell perform two weeks ago in Los Angeles, and the drummer appeared to be healthy and upbeat.

Merlis said the tour was designed to bring together veteran musicians who had known Hendrix — like Mitchell — and younger artists, such as Grammy-nominated winner Jonny Lang, who have been influenced by him.

Blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who is 31 and was part of the tour, said Mitchell was to the drums what Hendrix was to the guitar.

"Today many of us have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a rock n' roll hero," he said.

Mitchell was a one-of-a-kind drummer whose "jazz-tinged" style was influenced by Max Roach and Elvin Jones, Merlis said. The work was a vital part of both the Jimi Hendrix Experience in the 1960s and the Experience Hendrix Tour that ended last week, he said.

"If Jimi Hendrix were still alive," Merlis said, "he would have acknowledged that."

During his career Mitchell played with the best in the business — not just Hendrix, but also Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Jack Bruce, Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters and others.

Mitchell performed with Hendrix and Redding at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, the U.S. debut of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He also was member of a later version of the band that performed the closing set of the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 — where Hendrix played a psychedelic version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the band launched into "Purple Haze."

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1992. According to the Hall of Fame, Mitchell was born July 9, 1947, in Ealing, England.

Terry Stewart, chief executive of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, said Mitchell transformed his instrument from a "strictly percussive element to a lead instrument."

"His interplay with Jimi Hendrix's guitar on songs like 'Fire' is truly amazing," Stewart said Wednesday. "Mitch Mitchell had a massive influence on rock 'n' roll drumming and took it to new heights."

Hendrix, Redding and Mitchell held their first rehearsal in October 1966, according to the Hall of Fame's Web site.

In an interview last month with the Boston Herald, Mitchell said he met Hendrix "in this sleazy little club."

"We did some Chuck Berry and took it from there," Mitchell told the newspaper. "I suppose it worked."

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Flash drives offer new choices for music fans

When the Mars Volta put out its latest album, "The Bedlam in Goliath," in January, the act gave its hardcore fans an option that is becoming increasingly popular -- and creative.

Instead of a CD or digital version of the Universal album, fans could buy a $30 USB drive designed like a Ouija board planchette. The device comes with a digital-rights-management-free version of the album and the promise of more bonus materials in coming months. Users simply plug it into their computer's USB drive and then listen to the album or download it into their music library.

The Mars Volta joins a growing number of recording artists who have experimented with USB releases in recent months, among them Jennifer Lopez, Ringo Starr and Matchbox Twenty.

More are expected in coming months. Austin-based All Access, the company behind USB releases from Matchbox Twenty and Starr, has signed deals with EMI, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group to make USB bracelets for other artists.

"The selling point to the labels is a really good one -- it's a marriage between merchandise and music so that people will at least buy it instead of stealing it because they want the merchandise," All Access CEO Chris Guggenheim said. "It's the only for-sure non-stolen product."

HIGHER MANUFACTURING COSTS

At this point, the releases are offered more as collectibles to build fan loyalty than as sources of revenue.

The cost of putting an album out on a USB drive is pricier than releasing it on a CD, partly because bands aren't placing bulk orders and partly because flash drives cost more than discs. Guggenheim said that bracelets generally cost $5 to $7 per unit. But costs can rise to $17 per unit or more for flash drives with more memory and other additions.

Universal doesn't expect to make money on the 2,000 USB units it put out for the Mars Volta release or on the 2,000 USB units it will put out for Erykah Badu's February 26 release, "Nu AmErykah," Universal senior vice president of digital business development Cameo Carlson said.

But it does expect to keep fans connected to both acts. Those who buy the Mars Volta USB stick get a new extra on the 29th of each month, ranging from bonus tracks to wallpaper. Badu will create new bonus features throughout the year for those who buy "Nu AmErykah" on USB.

"It's not for everybody," Carlson said. "It's for the hardcore fan that wants tons of pictures, who really wants something more and the opportunity to get new stuff every month."

For bands, USB drives offer a cooler way to get their music to fans in a souvenir package that fans can wear or carry with them, giving the band free promotion.

Starr wore a wristband containing his latest album, "Liverpool 8," to the Grammy Awards, getting attention for the release that a CD jewel case certainly wouldn't. Guggenheim said that about one wristband is sold for every three CDs of Starr's album.

In October, Matchbox Twenty released its latest album, "Exile on Mainstream," on USB bracelets, putting out an initial 25,000 units. Manager Michael Lippman said that "tens of thousands" have been sold.

ROOM FOR EXTRAS

"USB is going to be the future," Lippman said. "You don't have to download it on a computer, you put it in and it comes up, (and) there's plenty of room to add additional material."

Some indie bands have turned to USB drives for releases because they can order fewer units and spend less money than they would for an order of 1,000 CDs, said Ed Donnelly, president of Los Angeles-based Aderra, which makes drives for Barenaked Ladies, Jars of Clay and indie bands like Los Angeles' Killola. Acts can place orders for as few as 100 USB drives preloaded with their album and other goodies.

Along with the songs from the album, Matchbox Twenty included its first video, behind-the-scenes footage, pictures and an Internet link to the band's site.

Based on the success of its album sales on USB, the band is selling bracelets of its live show at concerts during its current tour. All Access replicates the bracelets after a concert in minutes. The bracelets are quickly sent to the merchandising booths, where fans can buy a recording of the show they just saw as they leave. Each bracelet costs the same as one of the band's concert T-shirts.

Barenaked Ladies, considered the pioneers of USB releases, put out "Barenaked on a Stick" in 2005, a 128 MB flash drive loaded with 29 previously released songs plus videos and other content. The band followed it up with souvenir flash drives at its 2006 concerts in support of "Barenaked Ladies Are Me." The concert USB keys came loaded with the new album, live tracks, ringtones and videos for $25.

Willie Nelson, Jars of Clay and the Black Crowes also have sold USB bracelets at concerts.

Bands typically sell the drives to 5 percent of their audience at a show, depending on how tech-savvy the crowd is.

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