From bill@thehubs.net Sun Nov 7 23:14:45 2004 From: bill@thehubs.net (Bill Hub) Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2004 17:14:45 -0600 Subject: [Granite-and-tumble] Three Interesting Things in Music News Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_017B_01C4C4ED.47A27960 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_017C_01C4C4ED.47A70D40" ------=_NextPart_001_017C_01C4C4ED.47A70D40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A number of strange things happened the last couple days that I thought would be of interest.... The Postal Service Gives Up!! (Great title, but I cannot take the credit; this is from pitchfork media) It was just about this time last year that we heard that The Postal Service (aka the collaborative musical efforts of Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello) had received a cease-and-desist letter regarding their bandname from the United States Postal Service (aka the giant government-controlled entity that delivers your mail). Now, with a year of negotiations-- and no doubt, a little grumbling-- behind them, the war is over. According to advertising industry observer AdAge.com, Sub Pop executives, conjuring the amazing powers of persuasion they invoked during Nirvana's signing to DGC in the early 90s, have managed to turn the potential lawsuit into a mutually beneficial cross-promotion campaign. Like magic! Says Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman: "We found a place in the middle where all our interests can be served... There's a real spirit of cooperation." With the Postmaster General? Of course! The USPS is no stranger to cross-promotion, with animated characters like Shrek, Daffy Duck, and the Cat in the Hat making regular appearances on stamps and USPS advertising materials. Those brands, however, are owned by super-studios that virtually hemmorhage cash and lawyers, not an (admittedly sizable) independent record label whose band was biting the USPS's precious trademarked brand. But that may be precisely the point: "It's a great way for us to extend our brand into new areas," remarks USPS's manager of communication services Gary Thuro. "They reach a young audience that's very important to our future, and music is such a powerful medium." To that end, part of the deal involves the possibility of Postal Service tunes being used in USPS ad campaigns and promotions. In turn, Sub Pop is considering, under the auspices of their newly minted licensing deal, using local postal outlets as distribution points for Give Up. Additionally, Tamborello and Gibbard will be tapped to play a gig at an annual USPS conference. No, we are totally not kidding. Stop laughing. If you're somehow fortunate enough to legitimately attend this conference, or crafty enough to impersonate one of the 800 senior executives who will be present, please do us a favor and bootleg that sucker. Surreal events like this one don't happen every day, and they must be documented for posterity. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A coctails boxset, strangely released the same time as whispers grow that they will be opening for the Pixies here in Chicago. http://www.carrottoprecords.com/artists/coctails/index.html Three CD box set includes material from their entire oeuvre including many studio songs that never found a place on an album, like the incredible, jazzy Skeleton Bones with Robert from QUINTRON and MATH. Many much-requested tracks from their first two vinyl albums, Hip Hip Hooray and Here Now Today that were not included on The Early Hi-Ball Years. Songs from their singles on Hi-Ball, Telstar, SOL, and Insipid Vinyl, including their live favorite, Penguin/Powerhouse Raymond Scott medley, their version of the Devo Corporate Anthem, and their cover of the garage rock nugget Why used to close their live sets. Also includes the entire Hello Records EP, which held some of their most alluring work, previously only available to subscribers of the short-lived service from They Might Be Giants. 56 songs over 3.2 hours, all lovingly remastered, almost all from original source tapes! 52pp perfect bound book full of liners & memorabilia wrapped in eye-popping popcorn box! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A legendary rock club closes in Minneapolis. Lights go out at legendary rock club Bankruptcy shutters First Avenue, the venue that drew national acts and nurtured the region's vibrant alternative music scene. BY ROSS RAIHALA Pioneer Press At 2:09 p.m. Tuesday, First Avenue general manager Chris Olson locked the doors of the legendary Minneapolis club, after the corporation that runs it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. For the immediate future, First Avenue is closed for business. Minutes later, Olson was hugging one of the newly unemployed First Avenue staffers as both fought back tears. "It's like part of the family died," Olson said. Behind him, the silver stars painted on First Avenue's famous black facade revealed three decades of local, national and international musicians to play the venue: Prince, the Replacements, R.E.M., U2, Soul Asylum, Husker Du, the Jayhawks, Bjork and so on. The closure of First Avenue was the latest move in a war between the club's founder, Allan Fingerhut, and its landlords, two of whom are former managers Steve McClellan and Jack Meyer. In June, Fingerhut fired Meyer and McClellan. McClellan - who has refused to comment - worked at First Avenue for 31 years. He is widely credited for booking superstar acts long before they were household names and helping foster the fertile Twin Cities alternative rock scene. ------=_NextPart_001_017C_01C4C4ED.47A70D40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
A = number of strange=20 things happened the last couple days that I thought would be of=20 interest....
 
The Postal=20 Service Gives Up!! (Great title, but I cannot take the credit; this is = from=20 pitchfork media)
It was just about this time last = year that=20 we heard that The Postal Service (aka the collaborative musical efforts = of Ben=20 Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello) had received a cease-and-desist letter = regarding=20 their bandname from the United States Postal Service (aka the giant=20 government-controlled entity that delivers your mail). Now, with a year = of=20 negotiations-- and no doubt, a little grumbling-- behind them, the war = is over.=20 According to advertising industry observer AdAge.com, Sub Pop = executives,=20 conjuring the amazing powers of persuasion they invoked during Nirvana's = signing=20 to DGC in the early 90s, have managed to turn the potential lawsuit into = a=20 mutually beneficial cross-promotion campaign. Like magic!=20

Says Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman: "We found a place in the = middle=20 where all our interests can be served... There's a real spirit of = cooperation."=20 With the Postmaster General? Of course! The USPS is no stranger to=20 cross-promotion, with animated characters like Shrek, Daffy Duck, and = the Cat in=20 the Hat making regular appearances on stamps and USPS advertising = materials.=20 Those brands, however, are owned by super-studios that virtually = hemmorhage cash=20 and lawyers, not an (admittedly sizable) independent record label whose = band was=20 biting the USPS's precious trademarked brand. But that may be precisely = the=20 point: "It's a great way for us to extend our brand into new areas," = remarks=20 USPS's manager of communication services Gary Thuro. "They reach a young = audience that's very important to our future, and music is such a = powerful=20 medium."=20

To that end, part of the deal involves the possibility of Postal = Service=20 tunes being used in USPS ad campaigns and promotions. In turn, Sub Pop = is=20 considering, under the auspices of their newly minted licensing deal, = using=20 local postal outlets as distribution points for Give Up. = Additionally,=20 Tamborello and Gibbard will be tapped to play a gig at an annual USPS=20 conference. No, we are totally not kidding. Stop laughing. If you're = somehow=20 fortunate enough to legitimately attend this conference, or crafty = enough to=20 impersonate one of the 800 senior executives who will be present, please = do us a=20 favor and bootleg that sucker. Surreal events like this one don't happen = every=20 day, and they must be documented for posterity.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A = coctails boxset,=20 strangely released the same time as whispers grow that they will be = opening for=20 the Pixies here in Chicago.   

http= ://www.carrottoprecords.com/artists/coctails/index.html=

Three CD box set = includes=20 material from their entire oeuvre including many studio songs that never = found a=20 place on an album, like the incredible, jazzy Skeleton Bones with Robert from = QUINTRON and=20 MATH. Many much-requested tracks from their first two vinyl albums, = Hip Hip=20 Hooray and Here Now Today that were not included on The = Early=20 Hi-Ball Years. Songs from their singles on Hi-Ball, Telstar, SOL, = and=20 Insipid Vinyl, including their live favorite,=20 Penguin/Powerhouse Raymond Scott = medley, their=20 version of the Devo Corporate Anthem, and their cover of the = garage rock=20 nugget Why used to close their live = sets. Also=20 includes the entire Hello Records EP, which held some of their most = alluring=20 work, previously only available to subscribers of the short-lived = service from=20 They Might Be Giants. 56 songs over 3.2 hours, all lovingly remastered, = almost=20 all from original source tapes! 52pp perfect bound book full of liners = &=20 memorabilia wrapped in eye-popping popcorn box!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A = legendary rock club=20 closes in Minneapolis.

Lights go = out at=20 legendary rock club


Bankruptcy=20 shutters First=20 Avenue, the venue that drew national acts and = nurtured the region's vibrant alternative music=20 scene.

BY = ROSS=20 RAIHALA

Pioneer=20 Press

At 2:09 = p.m. Tuesday,=20 First=20 Avenue general manager Chris Olson locked the = doors=20 of the legendary Minneapolis club, after the = corporation that=20 runs it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. For the immediate future, = First = Avenue is=20 closed for business.

Minutes = later, Olson=20 was hugging one of the newly unemployed First Avenue staffers as both = fought back=20 tears.

"It's like = part of=20 the family died," Olson said. Behind him, the silver stars painted on = First=20 Avenue's famous black facade revealed three decades of local, national = and=20 international musicians to play the venue: Prince, the Replacements, = R.E.M., U2,=20 Soul Asylum, Husker Du, the Jayhawks, Bjork and so = on.

The closure = of=20 First=20 Avenue was the latest move in a war between = the=20 club's founder, Allan Fingerhut, and its landlords, two of whom are = former=20 managers Steve McClellan and Jack Meyer. In June, Fingerhut fired Meyer = and=20 McClellan. McClellan — who has refused to comment — worked = at First = Avenue for 31=20 years. He is widely credited for booking superstar acts long before they = were=20 household names and helping foster the fertile Twin Cities alternative = rock=20 scene.

 

 

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