Kill Ugly Radio: Frank Zappa & Elsewhere

Proof that the music industry will never get it: in the latest attempt to shore up sales of music on physical media, SanDisk Corp. and the four major music companies plan to announce Monday a new format called slotMusic.

Each unit is to contain an album, plus extras, on a compact memory card that can be played on mobile phones, PCs and some portable MP3 players. The cards are inserted into vacant slots on phones and other devices.

Indeed: why on earth would I buy music from iTunes right out of my home while sipping a nice chilled Grimbergen, when instead I can:

• Go to Wal-Mart
• Buy said memory card
• Drive back home
• Plug the card into my computer
• Search for 15 minutes to find the drive’s icon
• Copy the mp3’s to my hard disk
• Import in iTunes
• Hit play

This is going to be huge, oh yes!

Posted in In The News, Insane, Music | 10 Comments »

LA Weekly has a rather lengthy article dedicated to the upcoming Joe’s Garage Musical, including a small image gallery. Anyone in the LA area going to see this?

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Music | 15 Comments »

Former online cigarette salesmen now enforce copyright:

Taking their cue from Amazon’s one-click ordering system and the RIAA’s settlement-o-matic website, a company named Nexicon is developing a technology that tracks users who share music and film illegally, and then demands payment for the downloaded file. According to ZDNet, the company is currently conducting a test of the system using Frank Zappa tracks, and is actively monitoring some 19.6 billion file transmissions every day.

Emphasis mine.

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Miscellany | 9 Comments »

On BBC News - and on the Wikipedia. R. I. P.

Posted in In The News, Music, Pop Cult | 6 Comments »

I’ve been meaning to post an entry on Sarah Palin, but honestly: I do not know where to begin.

I’m not American and so strictly speaking this is none of my business, but let me just tell you this: if you’re going to vote the McCain/Palin ticket into office, you, Sir, Madam, will be scaring the shit out of the rest of the civilized world.

Posted in In The News, Politics, Religion | 61 Comments »

Last week, Jimmy Carl Black had an operation to remove a tumour on his lung. Now, the tumour has turned out to be cancerous. Idiot Bastard Son, who spoke with Jimmy last Thursday writes:

He sounded fairly chipper, but they say they can now only treat him with more chemotherapy. He comes out of hospital on Monday (1 September) and will soon start his treatment as an out patient. To help Jimmy pay his mounting medical bills, there’s a special limited edition CD (Stick Man For Ever!) and some nifty apparel and other stuff available to buy here. Please do what you can to help the dear old Mother.

Cancer is a treacherous bitch. Do place an order if you can…

Picture courtesy of antaladriaanse

Posted in Community, In The News | 5 Comments »

In November, the plaintiffs demanded that the organizers of the Zappanale be forced to pay a €250,000 penalty or be sent to jail for two years should the festival or the related “Arf-Society” refuse to comply.

Cut to the present:

The two sides now have some six weeks to come up with an out-of-court settlement. And the Zappa Family Trust may be willing to compromise. ZFT lawyers now say that the Zappanale can use the Zappa name if they brand the festival as “Zappa music and more.“

Zappa music — and more! Them lawyers sure know how to win a case. Our credit card spending at work, ladies and gentlemen.

I’ll just let Der Spiegel do the talking.

To loosely quote Woody Allen though, if I may: “If you need me, I’ll be in the back having an anger attack.”

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Music, Zappanale | 31 Comments »

I for one would love to see this:

The Open Fist Theatre Company in California will present the world premiere of Joe’s Garage, a new stage production based on the Frank Zappa album of the same name. Directed by Pat Towne, the production will begin previews at the Open Fist Theatre Sept. 18 with an official opening Sept. 26. The limited engagement will run through Nov. 22.

→ Joe’s Garage to Make World Premiere in September

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Music | 21 Comments »

Slated for release next August 4th: Frank Zappa’s Jukebox:

Via The Idiot Bastard.

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Music | 27 Comments »

Yes indeed:

The Zappa Family Trust will celebrate Independence Day by making Zappa’s “Beat The Boots” series, totaling 148 tracks, for sale online. These will be the only authorized Frank Zappa albums available on iTunes.

Gail Zappa:

Even though the polar caps are melting away at such a horrendous rate we will probably never need boots again except for wading in worse cacadoody than ever, you can finally get these Beat the Boots on iTunes just in time to be reminded of Liberation of another sort on the 4th of July.

Posted in Frank Zappa, In The News, Music | 11 Comments »