The rent went up and CBGB's moved out. Moving in is fashion designer John Varvatos, who's clothing reportedly has a "punk theme". Apparently some of today's punks want to wear $2500 leather jackets and $275 jeans. Word is that the new tenets have preserved the poster and graffiti covered walls, but have cleaned up what had to be one of planet Earth's worst bathrooms.
Fashion Designer Moves Into NY Club CBGB's Space (New York Times)
The New York Times is reporting that researchers "have unearthed a recording of the human voice, made by a little-known Frenchman, that predates Edison’s invention of the phonograph by nearly two decades." Follow the link to read the story and hear the recording.
Researchers Play Tune Recorded Before Edison (New York Times)
There have been any number of "fifth Beatles" over the years, but only Neil Aspinall was called that by George Harrison when the Beatles were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. The New York Times has a nicely written and informative obituary.
Neil Aspinall, Beatles Aide, Dies at 66 (New York Times)
In two recent posts, we detailed how Van Morrison or his representatives have used Web Sheriff to stifle unofficial fan sites and bittorrent file sharing sites from sharing his material on the Internet ( Van The Man Fan Websites Close Down and Van The Man Requests File Sharing Ban ). Now comes word that Web Sheriff has been making cryptic posts to music bloggers comments sections. Sterogum has reported that the Sheriff has been leaving messages similar to this on various blogs:
On behalf of XL Recordings and Warner Bros Records, many thanks for plugging "Consolers Of The Lonely" and The Ranconteurs' pioneering, 'fans-first' release concept ... .. it's a pity about the early leak via iTunes, but thanks also, on belalf of the labels and the artist, for not posting any pirate links ... .. it's not long to go now until the official release (on Tues), so your patience is much appreciated by all concerned.
Regards & Happy Easter,
WEB SHERIFF
The Berkeley Place blog was one recipient and has posted this reply:
I have deleted the album review and have deleted the album from my ongoing “Best of 2008″ list. I will not consider the band for a best-of-the-year album, and I will not mention them favorably on this blog ever again. In fact, I got rid of the CD. I average 3,000 unique readers per day, and now none of them will hear about The Kills from me.
Follow the whole story here:
WEB SHERIFF TO MP3 BLOGGERS: HAPPY EASTER, THANKS FOR PLUGGING THE RACONTEURS (Sterogum)
DEAR WEB SHERIFF: Open Letter to a Watchdog (Berkeley Place)
B.B. King has brought a juke joint in his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi, a place where he plays once a year during his annual homecoming and where he met his second wife. Club Ebony opened in 1945 and B.B. was one of the many big names in blues and R&B who has played there over the years. Others have included Count Basie, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Ike Turner. The previous owner brought the place from B.B.'s mother-in-law in the mid-seventies. B.B. must have big plans for the joint because he is a man who doesn't think small. Besides continuing to tour at age 82, he operates namesake clubs on Beale Street in Memphis, Times Square in New York, Nashville, and Orlando.
Blues tourism is becoming a big part of the economic picture in the Mississippi Delta region. The town of Clarksdale, MS has been revitalized over the last decade with the influx of blues devotees from around the world opening music related business's and art galleries. Actor Morgan Freeman is the best known, opening his upscale juke joint "The Ground Zero" in 2001 ( if a juke joint is upscale, is it still a juke joint? ). Perhaps B.B. sees the same future for his hometown of Indianola, a place where he has returned to play many times over the years.
The Music Rambler in the coming weeks will be posting a music guide and travel information about Memphis and the Mississippi Delta.
Also see: Clarksdale Mississippi's Juke Joint Festival
B.B. King's Club website
The Ground Zero website
