This is a very interesting post from Greg Sandoval over at Cnet News.

The Internet is a killer of art–at least that’s how a couple of former rock ‘n’ roll gods see it.

John Mellencamp, known for such ’80s hits as “Jack and Diane” and “Hurts So Good,” last week said the Web is the most dangerous creation since the atomic bomb. Stevie Nicks, the Fleetwood Mac songstress, concluded in an interview this week that the “Internet has destroyed rock.”

We have to be free enough with our music to permit people to adapt it for their own purposes. - Jack Holzman (Credit: Warner Music Group)

Jac Holzman, the man who discovered The Doors, founded Elektra Records, and nudged the big recording companies into adopting the compact disc, considers the Web and says: “I think the music industry has a bright future.”

Wow, that’s quite a contrast in views. The difference is Holzman has witnessed most of the industry-shaking technologies during his six decades in the music business–and he’s not panicking.

This year, the 79-year-old celebrates Elektra’s 60th anniversary, and at a life stage when Holzman’s biggest trouble might be choosing the right 9-iron, he’s helping to search for answers to the music industry’s burning digital questions. He has said in the past that there were those in the record business who didn’t think he was relevant any longer, but Holzman is back in the thick of it. Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. sought him out, hired him as a senior adviser, and sees value in the context Holzman can provide.

“I love the way Jac approaches the intersection of music and technology–through the lens of opportunity,” Bronfman said.

At spotting opportunities, Holzman has a notable record. As a 19-year-old, Holzman started Elektra with $300 he received at his bar mitzvah. The label would later go to sign such acts as Queen, Judy Collins, The Stooges, and Jim Morrison. After Holzman sold Electra to Warner Communication (a forerunner of Warner Music Group and Warner Bros. Pictures), he became WCI’s chief technology officer. In that role, he helped oversee some of the company’s film and TV ventures.

When Jack Valenti, the chief of the Motion Picture Association of America, was trying to kill video recorders and comparing them to the Boston Strangler, Holzman was pushing WCI leaders to embrace the home-video market. With cable TV he recognized its potential early and contributed to the development of pay-per-view programming.

In music, Holzman saw the rise of the LP, 8-track tape, DAT, compact disc, MP3, and BitTorrent. After all that, new technologies don’t spook him. On the contrary, he says many of these technologies helped make a lot of artists and industry people rich. When it comes to the Internet and digital distribution, Holzman is confident music labels can capitalize on them too. He says they really don’t have a choice.

Read the rest of the article here…

Music Tech Guru Says Web Is Not The Enemy is a post from: Home Recording Studio Guru

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If you know me at all, you know how much I love Weird Al. Perhaps more impressive than his ability to do hilarious cover parodies is his ability to write original material in the style of another artist.

For example, there’s his original song, “Dare to Be Stupid.” It was done in the style of the band Devo, and was featured in The Transformers: The Movie.

It was later released as a double a-side along with “The Touch” by Stan Bush. Shortly after the song was released, Weird Al received a letter from Mark Mothersbaugh congratulating him on writing “the perfect Devo song”. He’s also said that it was “beautiful . . . and I hate him for it, basically.”

So here is, at it again. This time his target is Jim Morrison and The Doors. This time he’s managed an extra special score, it features Ray Manzarek himself on keyboards. (Video directed by Liam Lynch.)

Craigslist is available RIGHT NOW on:

iTunes
Amazon
Rhapsody
Napster
Zune
Walmart MP3

And the video is available on iTunes too!

Lyrics:

Whoa, yeah!

You’ve got a 65 Chevy Malibu
With automatic drive, a custom paint job too
I’ll trade you for my old wheelbarrow
And a slightly-used sombrero
And I’ll even throw in a stapler, if you insist

Craigslist
I’m on Craigslist, baby, come on
Yeah

Well, we shared a quick glance Saturday at the mall
I never took a chance, never approached you at all
You were a blonde half-Asian with a bad case of gas
I was wearin’ red Speedos and a hockey mask
Come on, let’s find that love connection that we missed

On Craigslist
Yeah, Craigslist, come on
I’m on Craigslist, baby
Maybe you are too
Bee bomp a chonk a donk bim bang boo

An open letter to the snotty barista
At the Coffee Bean on San Vicente Boulevard:
I know there were 20 people behind me in line
But I was on a cell phone call with my mother
Didn’t you see me hold up my index finger?
That means I’ll order my soy decaf hazelnut latte in just a couple minutes
So what’s with the attitude, lady?
No tip for you

Got a trash can of Styrofoam peanuts, you can have em for free
You can drop by on the weekend and pick em up from me
But the trash can ain’t part of the deal
Only givin’ you the peanuts, get real
Don’t have no Hefty bags, so bring your own
Don’t bug me with questions on the phone
Don’t ask for help, don’t waste my time
And don’t complain, cause they won’t cost you a dime
Just ask yourself
Do you want my Styrofoam peanuts?
You can have my Styrofoam peanuts
Do you want my Styrofoam peanuts?
You can have ‘em all

They’re on Craigslist, yeah
Craigslist, oh baby, come on
I’m on Craigslist, Craigslist, Craigslist
I’m on Craigslist, Craigslist, Craigslist now
Craigslist

“Weird Al” Yankovic’s New Release – “Craigslist” is a post from: Home Recording Studio Guru

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