Musician’s Notebook

Hey … pretty soon, you be able pretend to be your favorite local band when you play the popular interactive vid, Rock Band!

Harmonix is planning to add tools for bands and game developers to turn their songs into tracks for the game, according to Billboard Magazine.
At first, game tracks built by outside developers will only be available to Xbox 360 users, but the company wants to add these tools so they can be used by all consoles.

Now, tracks that are developed by other parties won’t be available through the actual ‘Rock Band’ store, but they’ll be put up for sale in other areas (I’m sure they’ll tell you where you can find ‘em!).

It’ll give local bands the chance to have a piece of the game pie while it’ll give Harmonix a way to build and expand both its platform and catalog without having to invest any extra time and effort into actually developing the tracks themselves.

Bottom line?  Inventiveness, initiative and inclusion … and who knows?  It could mean one serious upward thrust by local acts that are really wanting to get ahead in this world of rock …

Stay tuned … I’ll bring more on this story as it develops …

This one’s gonna be a bit short due to the time-sensitivity of it.

The best thing I can tell ya is to follow this link: the Rock Report, and see why we’re askin’ prayers and healing thoughts to go out for Billy “Faron” Ruffley tomorrow morning.

The man is a legend in and around Liverpool, having worked with two of the greatest non-Invasion bands in England! First, his Faron’s Flamingos, then the famous Big Three.

Again, just asking yer prayers during the 11 AM operation tomorrow (that’s GMT. Here, it’d be 6 AM EST).
So click on that link to the Rock Report, say a quick prayer on Faron’s behalf … and thanks …

It’s one of the hottest radio stations on the Internet!
Express FM 93.7 is a mix of everything that’s right in the radio business!

Not only do they have some dynamite shows (I’ll get to one in particular in a moment), but they do great work for youth around the UK and the world!
Causes like their Amplify Show (sponsored by the National Youth Agency) give kids a voice. As it says on their web page:
“If you are aged between 13 & 19 then get in touch with Express FM for the opportunity to get people talking about…..whatever you want!”
And their vinvolved project (sponsored by vinspired.com) helps “to inspire, recruit and deliver hundreds of volunteer opportunities within radio for 16 – 25 year olds over the next 3 years.”

But they also rock! The famous Geoff and Andy Show (now including DJ legend Gary Jackson [see pic]) has interviewed greats like Genesis, The Drifters, Snow Patrol and Andy Fairweather Low.

Their banter, superb interview skills — and the music — all make for a dynamite show (hey … recommend these guys to a station in your area! It’ll really give a boost to their ratings!).
Recently, I had the pleasure of arranging an interview with the band that I’m proud to promote here in the states, England’s wildly popular Mersey/Hamburg-style rockers, The Fore. From top to bottom, this interview was fantastic — and fans tuned in from across the planet!

Now, I wouldn’t be fair to talk about it without givin’ you the chance to hear it, would I?? So just click here to download or listen!

So, whenever you’re lookin’ for good radio, I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the web.
But if you’re lookin’ for great radio, just click the Express FM 97 link, click on “What’s On”, then hit their “On-Air” button (to the right, top of main page).
Your ears are gonna be thrilled …

You’ve noticed that, with every post, I always try to include a pic or two here in the Notebook. It sorta gives the blog a little more color, and you’ll know what I’m gonna be jawjackin’ about.

But, sometimes, those pics can be so humongous that I have to re-size ‘em to fit the post size.
Awww, I know you may have the same problem … and that’s why I wanna share this free app with ya. Y’see, you can avoid the hassle by downloading a little gadget called Irfanview!

Here’s how it works: Whenever I haveta send band pics to a station or A&R, and they’re too large to send by email (rule of thumb: The larger the pic you send, the more memory it uses on the recipient’s computer. Sometimes, it keeps the pic from downloading), I’ll re-size them by using this little wonder!

So I pull up the pic using Irfanview (when ya first use it, go to “Options” then “File Associations” and click the normal formats [.jpg, .gif, .bmp, .png] to be sure the files open with the app).
Then, I’ll click on “Image”, followed by “Resize/Resample”. Here, ya wanna be sure your “preserve aspect ratio” box is checked. If it is, then type in your width for a comfortable “200″ or “300″; the “height” box will automatically re-size that part for you!

After that, just click “File” and “Save” as you normally would, and it’s ready to send!
BTW, I used the Irfanview app to resize this promo pic of the famous UK indie band, THE FORE. It was originally 425×283.

So I’d really recommend gettin’ this for your PC now! Then go ahead and take all the pics you want …
Of course, there are many more things you can do with this free app, like enhancing colors, changing the pic to black-and-white and even more!

Okay … normally I’d be jawjackin’ about the latest happenings or doohickies in rock music, right?

But, y’know, sometimes yer PC just doesn’t wanna behave when you’re doin’ the Last Writes (meaning, finally posting your finished copy)! It becomes so S*L*O*W* that you can only hope it’ll be published sometime before Barack Obama leaves office …

There’s good news though, campers! I’ve found a little app that’ll clean your computer and get rid of all the junk you’ve got layin’ around yer C: drive.
Best of all: It’s free!

It’s called “CCleaner” (short [honestly!] for Crap Cleaner!) and, when ya run it, you’ll be able to clean your files, registry and manage your startups (those applications that start when your computer does).

And it does it all with 100% efficiency!

Now, the best way to run it is to close all your browsers first (whether IE, Firefox, Opera or one yer mama made for you at Christmas). That way, you can get maximum cleaning!

Before ya know it, your PC/laptop/whatever will be running a lot more smoothly!
CCleaner™ is a product of Piriform, Ltd.® and is available by download from this site.

Michael Jackson’s death yesterday has brought a looming question to thousands of fans who’d already bought tickets to his O2 This Is It shows:

Are we gonna get a refund?

So far, the answer is yes … “in due course”, according to AEG Live, who was sponsoring the gigs.

As with the rest of the world, the suits-behind-the-show are still in shock after learning of the self-proclaimed “King of Pop’s” demise and, with everything else to be handled about the eternal cancellation, they’re just not ready to handle the heavy refund load.

At present, there’s $82 million to be refunded off 750,000 ticket sales. It’s one of the biggest refund efforts in the history of the concert industry, and one concert executive said it’s also the “biggest mess in the history of our business.”

Ticketmaster’s customer service line played a recorded message advising customers to “await communication” from the company regarding refunds.

It continued: “We understand this is an upsetting time for all Michael Jackson fans and we want to thank you for your patience in this matter.”

And secondary ticket service Seatwave also told fans that they’d get a full refund.

“We are all saddened by the news of Michael Jackson’s death,” said CEO and founder Joe Cohen in a statement.
“All customers who purchased tickets for his O2 shows from Seatwave are covered by our TicketCover guarantee and will get a full refund.
Full information on how to do this is on our Web site at www.seatwave.com. We advise customers to use the Web site rather than our phone lines to obtain this information.”

Look … the world needs to take time to mourn Michael’s passing, as we’d need if we’d lost a loved one.  After all, he was a member of the rock family!

Paperwork (and ticket refunds) can come when that’s done.  Agreed?? …

The new KISS album “rocks big time”, according to their guitarist Paul Stanley.

For anyone who follows the painted legends, there can be no doubt!

According to Paul’s statement on their site,  www.kissonline.com:

“We’re about four days from finishing the new Kiss album. Eleven tracks, and it is everything I’ve told you. It is classic. It is all written within the band. And it rocks big time!
“Tommy [Thayer, guitar] and Eric (Singer, drums] both handle lead vocals. The songs, sound and playing will knock your socks off. You will all be as proud and excited as we all are. Oh…and WAIT till you see the cover!
We ARE just getting started!”

The KISS armies around the world are pleased, of course … but also amazed! I mean, here’s a band who’s been around for decades but, while others from 20-years-back are drying out, these guys refresh, reinvent, or whatever, themselves to bounce back to the top again and again!

Stanley’s hyperbole was matched by bassist “Demon” Gene Simmons’s comments earlier this month:

“This might be the best new record we’ve done since [1976 album] Destroyer. In fact, it has a similar sound – Rock And Roll Over-meets-Love Gun kind of a record.”

The album, by the way, is due for release in September/October.

When Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor asked fans for help, they answered to the tune of $260,000+ in just two days to help a man in dire need of a heart transplant. As of this writing, it’s reached $850,000+!

Trent asked for donations, via his Twitter page and a special donation page on the NIN website,  to help 27 year-old Eric De La Cruz, who urgently needs a new heart but can’t get medical insurance. While Cruz’s family struggles to raise the estimated $780,000 to complete the operation, NIN fans are stepping up to help – and earning some incredible benefits.

According to the band’s website, fans who donate  $1,000 to help Cruz will get an actual Tony Hawk skateboard, autographed by Reznor as well as “a signed-by-me copy of NIN’s rarest CD release, STILL - along with CDs of The Slip and the deluxe version of Ghosts I-IV (all signed and numbered by me for this donation).

Eric’s situation shines a bright light on a broken health care system, and his particular set of problems are being addressed on the political front, aiming for reform in addition to the need for immediate financial help to keep him alive TODAY. I think we can help with the latter,’” he wrote.

Listen — if there’s any proof that rockaholics have the biggest heart of any genre, it’s this! As Reznor says on-site, “we’re showing the WORLD the power of a strong and committed community, and we’re quite possibly saving a life in the process.”

Hey … wanna get involved? Just go to their site today, okay??

He’ll be one of the last acts to ever play Giants Stadium.

And now you’ve got a chance to bid on tickets to Bruce Springsteen’s concert — and the proceeds will go to help charity!

Springsteen and the E Street Band are gonna hit the stage at the stadium on October 3, and tickets sold out in just minutes! But “The Boss” is giving you the chance to get some special tickets (in some of the best seating areas!).

Now, proceeds from the auction will go to World Hunger Year (WHY), which is an organization formed in 1975 by radio talk-show host Bill Ayres and singer/songwriter Harry Chapin (he did Cat’s In The Cradle, Taxi and W*O*L*D).
Chapin saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America, and many of his concerts were benefit shows for the charities he was known to support (82 in all!). Also, the sales of all his concert merchandise were donated directly to WHY.
At the time of his death in 1981, it was found that Chapin had donated almost all of his personal fortune to charity!

Today, WHY is an international non-profit organization that connects grass roots charities with funding expertise and publicity.

Auction winners will also receive a WHY-Hard Rock Born In The USA 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Tee-shirt, Lapel Pin and Hat.

Now, the auction is gonna run until June 29, so time’s runnin’ out, yardbirds! If you wanna bid on the tix, they can be accessed here.

Sir Paul McCartney — who’s due to play at the opening of Citi Field (the new home of the NY Mets) has added a third concert set for Tuesday, 21 July. The first two shows (on 17 & 18 July) sold out in just under five minutes!

Tickets for the additional show are on sale now, exclusively online at www.507TIXX.com or by phone at 718-507-TIXX. I’m told that all performances will be held rain or shine!

Of course, the gigs will feature classics from Macca’s extensive catalog, including Beatles, Wings and his solo career hits. He’ll also include selections from his most recent album, Electric Arguments, released under his alias of The Fireman.

These shows are gonna mark the latest in a series of shows that link the former Beatle with NYC and the home of the Mets. Beginning with The Beatles’ legendary appearance at the opening of Shea Stadium in 1965 to his special appearance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” show that closed the stadium last year, Sir Paul’s summer shows at Citi Field will once again mark a momentous occasion in the history of New York — and for rock n’ roll itself.

Okay … that’s it for now, but stay tuned … there’s more to come in less than 24!
See ya on the flip side ….

Gotta admit: I’m a tremendous fan of the Fox drama “House”, with actor/comedian Hugh Laurie as unconventional doc Gregory House. Not only is he an accomplished actor and pianist, but his character’s probably the closest that series-TV has come to rock.

And get this: according to ratings agency Eurodata TV Worldwide, the team of House gathered more than 81.8 million viewers last year — making it the most-watched fictional TV show in the world.

Now, when ya figure his show beat out, “CSI” (the original), and its spin-off “CSI: Miami”.

Here’s how they came up with the numbers: They collected data from 66 countries around the world (including the U.S.) — countries that represent a potential audience of 1.6 billion couch potatoes.

The runner-up? Desperate Housewives (though I’ve never known any personally!)

And, in case ya haven’t heard, Chastity Bono — daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono and gay rights activist in her own right — is undergoing a (wellll, here’s how media put it) gender transitioning from female to male (ummm, are there any other “genders”?).
That doesn’t mean she’s getting “the operation”. Instead, it means, for her, a social change — where she wants to be viewed and thought of as a man!

As her spokesman, Howard Bragman says, “He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz’s (what she wants to be called now) hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his ‘coming out’ did nearly 20 years ago.”

Sorry, dude … or dudette: I’m not buyin’ it! If ya wanna be a “man”, then get the friggin’ operation to MAKE it so! If ya don’t, then stay yer own gender!
It didn’t hurt Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres or kd lang, right?? So why should you be any different??

‘Nuff said for now. Until later this evening (when the PC’s due back from the repair. Right now, I’m usin’ a borrowed one) …
see ya on the flip side!

Alice Cooper recorded under their banner … as did Mӧtorhead, Whitesnake, Blackmore’s Night and UFO.

But now it’s been learned that the German record label SPV (the home of many hard rock and metal bands) has just filed for insolvency.

According to the Billboard report, Manfred Schütz,, the label’s managing partner, decided to submit an application to commence insolvency proceedings on May 25 (it’s like Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection here in the states).
But there’s still good news: “Normal business will continue even after the application for insolvency,” Schütz is quoted as saying.

Everything — from pre-to-post production to sales and promotions — will continue as it normally does.
The purpose of the insolvency (now in progress) is to make it possible for the label to continue while working on a restructuring plan.

But there are other recording companies interested in buying SPV, though no names have been mentioned yet.

TONIGHT SHOW FINALE?

Make no mistake about it: When Jay Leno leaves the Tonight Show … well, tonight …, he’s gonna leave a bag of mixed feelings behind.

Some are gonna shed a few tears, remembering his ebullient nature, occasionally ribald jokes and, of course, that famous chin. But there’s also gonna be a bit of comfort in knowing that he will be back this Fall — albeit in an earlier time slot.

Personally, I think it could possibly be (as said in the subtitle up there) the finale of the show-that-Carson-built, at least in the long run.
Now, don’t get me wrong: Leno’s successor, Conan O’Brien, is one of the best improv comedians in the world. But will his zany, cartoon-like character actually fit in with the show’s legendary format?

I know … Craig Ferguson does it, and he’s wildly popular. But, then again, the show was built around him, having some serious rating troubles under Craig Kilborn’s hosting.
Here, you have a long-time standard, though. From the days when Steve Allen and Jack Paar hosted it through today, they’ve been somewhat formulaic — and, over the years, viewers have learned to expect that.

Maybe Conan will adapt — who knows? But, if he doesn’t, the only thing that’ll keep the show strong (in my opinion) is a gradual ease into the same style he used on his former late-night show (now hosted by Jimmy Fallon).

Nonetheless, as we bid Jay a fond “farewell” from the show, we wish Conan the best …

Sometimes, an article comes along that … well, it just begs reprinting. This is especially true of one that deals with the courage of a musician who’s terminally ill, yet is determined to continue his craft.
So, though it’s a bit lengthy, I hope you’ll read this whole post (reprinted from its source) and get some inspiration out of it:

EAST LANSING, Mich. /Music Industry Newswire/ — Ace Noface, a 38 year old man with Lou Gehrig’s disease, today announces the release of a piano rock CD, “Toxic Charm.” His goal is to leave a musical legacy behind, and raise awareness of ALS. May is ALS awareness month. Words like “inspiring” get used so casually that their meaning loses power. But in the case of Ace Noface, and his new album, Toxic Charm, one immediately becomes present to the true meaning of words like inspiration and courage.
The musician, living with a terminal illness, is facing his fate with courage and conviction by creating rich and resonant piano-based rock that is in turn hypnotic, jarring and spellbinding. Ace’s life and music is the ultimate example of living what is possible in the face of any circumstance.
Listening to Toxic Charm, you can hear the plaintive vocals, the resonance of the piano and the rolling presence of the rhythm section - it’s a huge sound for such few instruments, but it makes sense, given that Ace makes the most of what he’s got.
At one time the bassist for an indie-rock band, in 2005, Ace was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, an incurable and degenerative neurological disorder. The diagnosis, obviously, was devastating. Ace remembers, “I really shut down for six months. I spent most of my days playing on the Internet and listening to music - I couldn’t deal.”
But a musician friend took a stand for Ace, and informed him what might be possible. “He told me that even though I couldn’t play an instrument anymore, I had to continue making music,” Ace recalls. “He said that he knew that was what I had to do to make some sense of the diagnosis and give meaning to the rest of my life, as opposed to just suffering. So I developed a sense of purpose for my life - probably more than any other time.”
To begin, Ace had to learn a whole new way of making music; using one finger, some computer software and email. It was a daunting task, but Ace quickly found a benefit. He explains, “When I’m writing music or lyrics I completely get lost in it - I forget that I have any kind of disability.”

The example of his work, his defiance in the face of a grim fate, and the songs on Toxic Charm that will be his legacy. Ace concludes, “When faced with a difficult situation, everyone has a choice to make - to let it define you as a person, or make the most of the time you have left. What I’m committed to leaving behind as a legacy is the truth I’ve learned: Anyone can achieve their dream, no matter what the circumstances.”

SPECIAL REPORT: This just came in earlier today, and I wanted to give it to you just as CNN reported it. We’ll return to our regular posts later this evening:

“So much for Southern hospitality.

When Pearl Jam — the Seattle, Washington-based grunge rock band — was in the Atlanta area late last month, bass guitar player Jeff Ament and a band employee were mugged outside a recording studio, a police report shows.

According to the DeKalb County Police Department, Ament and Mark Anthony Smith were attacked shortly before noon on April 27 when they arrived at Southern Tracks Recording.

Southern Tracks is the home base of producer Brendan O’Brien, with whom the band has worked before. According to Rolling Stone, the band is recording a new album with the producer.

Three men reportedly emerged from a nearby wooded area wearing masks and brandishing knives. They smashed windows of the rented Jeep Commander, snatched a BlackBerry phone and other belongings, and demanded money, the police report shows. The suspects allegedly got away with more than $7,300 in goods and cash.

Ament jumped from the passenger side of the vehicle and started to run, but he was chased by a suspect and knocked to the ground, said Mekka Parish, a public information officer with the police department.
Though surveillance cameras captured the incident, the masks worn by the attackers have made identifying suspects difficult.

Witnesses reported seeing the suspects flee through the woods and hop into a waiting black Maxima, Parish added. Anyone with leads on this case is encouraged to call 770-724-7850.”

Now, normally, we talk about the ins-and-outs of rock here. 
But, this Saturday, a very special drive is gonna take place — and, considering how  its goal will effect more people than ever (no thanks to the economy), I thought ya might want a heads-up about it:

Y’see, the National Association of Letter Carriers has announced that the nation’s largest food drive to combat hunger will be held this Saturday, May 9. On that day, your mailman will collect non-perishable donations from homes as he/she delivers your mail.

Here’s how it works: Donations will be collected by more than 1,400 local branches of the postal union and delivered to food banks, pantries and shelters that serve the communities where they are collected. Other postal employees are getting into the act as well … so, if you wanna help out (let’s say you missed the mailman on his/her way around), just stop by your local Post Office and make a donation, okay?

As NALC President William Young says, “Millions and millions of families are suffering – struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. More than ever, food banks, pantries and shelters need our help this year. As families count on them for support, they’re counting on us and we must not back off on our commitment.”