Save the Record Store, Save the World

So, nothing like using a now 2-year-old reference to a TV show I don't watch or like to title a blog that means a lot to me. So here'goes:

It came to my attention today that due to a bit of a tiff with their landlord over rents, zoning, and live performance, SIREN RECORDS in Doylestown, Pennsylvania has been evicted from their home of nearly 20 years, and is now looking for a new home for the store, and about $20,000 by July 18th to cover legal exspenses and the costs of the move.

In this economy, that takes more money than selling a few extra Beta Band discs, or the occasional out-of-season Sam Beam Halloween costume.


So the point is, they're ACCEPTING DONATIONS.

They've even enlisted the help of Pennsylvania natives, CIRCA SURVIVE, who are lending a hand by offering an EXCLUSIVE B-SIDE ("The Most Dangerous Commercials") to those who donate to the cause through their site.


There's been a lot of talk about the varied and innumerable possible fates of the brick-and-mortar record store and the entire music business as we know & love/hate it today (most notably, in my humble opinion, by the good folks at Matador Records). This is a very real, and very tangible way to show your support not only for the existence of physical records, or for a store you may never have set foot in, but for the entire cultural purpose of "the record store," and the larger, tribal necessity of music itself. I've never been to Siren Records, but you can see from their blog what the place and this conflict are about, and no doubt draw some parallels from your own community.

These days, record stores can close their doors for any number of reasons. This shouldn't be one of them. All they need is 4000 people to give $5. So go donate something. Anything. And help keep one more on the map.

Go here if you want the Circa Survive track: http://donate.circasurvive.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-most-dangerous-commercials

Go here if you just want to help: http://www.myspace.com/sirenrecords_electric

PayPal accepted!!

Record Review Haikus #1: Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light

Bearded Majesty.
If I could, I'd put track 1
On my MySpace page.

Old 97's at Amoeba

On Wednesday, June 18th - on the eve of their sold-out show at LA's Crash Mansion, NewWest recoding artists the Old 97's performed an instore at LA's famed Amoeba Records.  The event, and an after party down the street at the Cat & Fiddle pub, was presented by ASCAP and Songs Publishing.

The show was webcast live... and should be up on the Amoeba site soon...

The band just finished a sold-out six week tour, and will be taking a few days off before hitting the road again in support of their newly released cd "Blame it on Gravity."  ...And this week the band's video for their new album's first single, "Dance with Me," was put into rotation on VH-1.

Test Your Reflex

Last night, Josh and I had a chance to hang out with Anthony and Ryan from Test Your Reflex. Their first record was out on RCA but if you blinked, you may have missed it. This is unfortunate because it was just filled with pop gems that needed to be out in the world. Never fear though, you still have your chance as they are furiously writing for the new record. Josh and I were lucky enough to hear some of the rough demos and while they still contain all the great pop hooks present in the first record, their overall sound has evolved from new wave pop to blues based rock. Think Kings of Leon meets The Wallflowers(circa One Headlight). This might sound like a huge transition but it suits them well. I am looking forward to posting some of the new tunes sometime down the line.

Jennifer

Now Listening: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

Sister Gertrude Morgan

Just a couple weeks after returning to Los Angeles from a brief sojourn to New Orleans, I received in the mail a Big Easy memento far more timeless than any Mardi Gras beads or plastic alligator could ever be. It was Let's Make A Record, the lone album recorded by Sister Gertrude Morgan during her forty-odd years as a street evangelist, missionary and folk artist in New Orleans' French Quarter.


Though recorded in the early 1970s, when Morgan was near the end of her life, Let's Make A Record has the feel of a turn-of-the-century field recording. It's just Sister Gertrude's powerful, untrained voice and a tambourine, and that's way more than enough to carry across the full impact of her religious fervor. And fervent she was - it takes a special kind of devotion to quit your life at the age of 38 and move to one of the more notoriously vice-ridden cities in the country to start an orphanage and preach God's word.

All of the songs on Let's Make A Record were composed by Sister Gertrude, and they engage typical gospel music subjects - the Book of Revelations, the power of the Lord, love of Jesus, etc. I share none of her beliefs, and yet I can't help being moved by the passion and guilelessness of her music. Sister Gertrude Morgan is regarded as a quintessential "outsider artist," and certainly Let's Make A Record falls far outside the standard schema we've got for why and how creative types should create art. It would be a shame if the album were treated as a mere novelty though. This is riveting stuff. It's the kind of music that might inspire you to praise dance in the streets of New Orleans.

Good times ahead...

We are sponsoring some great events that I thought I would mention. Some of them are FREE, and some require a moderate fee. The first is a monthy showcase we recently started sponsoring with the people behind the great blog Rock Insider and Hell Ya! It all happens June 26th at The Echo in Los Angeles. Bands confirmed include The Movies, The Savages and The Voyeurs. All for 5 measly dollars!!! For more info, you can follow the Hell Ya link posted above.

We are also very excited to be sponsoring a series of shows in LA from local favorites Darker My Love. I am very excited for the new record (which comes out August 5th) and these shows should be great. The best part is that there are three of them so you will have o-so many chances to see them. On July 18th and 25th, they take their moody, psychedelic rock to The Echo.(For Free!) On August 7th, they hit The Troubadour. This show is 9.99 but you get a free copy of the record with the purchase of the ticket. That's a pretty good deal if I do say so myself.

-Jennifer

Now listening:

Blue Day - Darker My Love

Having a great time - wish you were here

This week, the fine folks at NARAS hosted a panel in Waikiki as part of their traveling MusicTech series.  I was not only honored to attend to speak on the panel for the second straight year, but was in awe of my fellow panelists, who, in present and past lives, were in bands that represent the best of 80's and 90's alt-rock:

Our organizer and moderator, NARAS' Ben London, was the lead singer of one of my personal favorite Seattle youth ensembles, Alcohol Funnycar.  Ben is one of the smarter folks I know - he makes me proud to be an American.  Ben runs the Seattle chapter of NARAS.

All-around good guy Gang of Four's Dave Allen was there - he of Portland, OR's Nemo Design.  Dave runs one of my favorite blogs: Pampelmoose - if you want to know anything about everything in the ever-changing weird world of the music bizzness you'll become a regular reader.  And you're guarenteed to hear some great tunes there too.

Tim Quirk is the VP of music programming over at Rhapsody - and perhaps better known as the former screamer for SF's Too Much Joy (whose "Green Eggs and Crack" and "Cereal Killer" are must owns).

Last - and most certainly not least - Lux Media owner and NARAS PNW Chapter President Steve Mack.   Steve is the frontman for the rock & roll combo That Petrol Emotion, who have just reformed - go see them when the come to your town, they do not disappoint.  In addition to participating on the panel, Steve opened the day's activities with a presentation on making the most of your music in our technological world.

The panel, which continued the topic from Steve's presentation, was a huge success.  To be able to come to the great state of Hawaii and meet the local songwriters and composers who represent the best of the creative community was a treat I won't soon forget.  In a world where regionalism is swiftly being abolished, it was great to come to a place where locals fuse tradition and modernism to contribute to what is a very vibrant music scene.  

As for my fellow panelists - well, aside from being musicians that I have long admired (and with some have had the pleasure of knowing for more years than we care to remember), I was truly astounded by the knowledge and insight that these fellows possess on the subject of the online world as it relates to the arts.  We are in what many feel is the most exiting and vibrant time for music... and hearing what these chaps had to say about the future of our business left me incredibly excited about the biz 2.0 and the possibilities for great songwriters and composers everywhere.  Go visit their respective sites and blogs, you may just learn something - I know I did.

MusiCares Health & Human Services Director Erica Krusen wrapped up the day with a presentation on her organization and all the truly wonderful things it offers to the creative community.  Everyone in the music business needs to know about this fine, fine charitable division of NARAS.

Many many thanks to Georja Skinner and Tracie M. Young of the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism for helping to make this wonderful event possible.

Mahalo,

DeSavia

Now listening:

Entertainment! - Gang of Four 

hello.

Hello. Welcome to our blog. Our goal is to bring you the best in new music, along with info on the many happenings that occur in our daily lives as ASCAP Reps. We hope you will enjoy it. Feel free to comment so we don't get lonely.

Now listening:

Viva La Vida - Coldplay