Wednesday, March 30, 2005
N2GO A GO!: NAPSTER ROCKS YOUR MUSIC WORLD... AGAIN
"Napster To Go" Latest Advance In Music Downloading Evolution; Allowing Songs On MP3 Players Heats Up Competition With Apple, May Make Pay-Per-Tune Model Obsolete
by Don Rose
(March 30, 2005: West Hollywood, CA) As we all remember, Napster rocked our world back in the Dot Com Boom, by making Peer To Peer music downloading a household phenomenon -- and inspiring millions to huddle around the "comp-fire" to upload/download millions of tunes. Cut to today: a new mini Net Boom of sorts is back, and the Cat has come Back in a big way in its battle with Apple for music downloading supremacy -- first by relaunching (as a fine pay service), then topping itself with its unique new service called NAPSTER TO GO. The key New Thing here: PORTABILITY OF SONGS, allowing N2GO subscribers to download and listen to an UNLIMITED amount of music, and do so on (certain compatible) MP3 players, as long as a low monthly $14.95 fee is paid. So, if you are the type who, say, buys at least 1 new CD each month, on average, that same general price can instead get you all the songs you want (on a PC or an MP3 player, at home or on the road).
To get the word out with a Big Bang here in L.A., Napster took over Mel's Diner on the Sunset Strip tonight, with celebs like Nick Lachey in attendance, to give music lovers a lot of FREE tunes, FREE coffee -- and, yes, even FREE MP3 players! (The latter being the amazingly cool iRiver H10 5GB MP3 Player, which not only holds upwards of a thousand tunes but can display photos, record FM or your voice, and file your taxes -- okay, okay, not the latter, just making sure you're paying attention, but by the way, you have two weeks left to file -- and speaking of files, you can store all the songs you want from Napster, for as long as you want, pretty much wherever you want, thanks to N2go -- from a pool of tunes totalling one MILLION, says the Napster website -- as long as that aforementioned fee is paid each month; if you stop paying the monthly fee, you can no longer listen to the songs you downloaded, so in essence you are renting them).
You may be wondering, is it better to RENT or OWN when it comes to music? Well, do the math. If you currently buy at least 15 songs a month from napster.com or iTunes.com or other similar services -- or, say, buy around 1 CD a month from real-world "dino-stores" or online stores -- you get a MUCH better deal from Napster To Go, which lets you listen to UNLIMITED songs (ok, a million, but to many that's plenty) -- yet it's around the same price per month. For those who download a lot of music, who like to find and try new music out without having to shell out almost a buck each time, the All You Can Eat model of Napster To Go is great. If you download 3 songs a month, $15 seems high; if you download 300, or 3000, $15 is a steal (oops, I mean, bargain).
You can also analyze this using an analogy from the net access world: if you use the internet less than 15 hours a month, you are better off just paying a dollar an hour for service (if that is available on your service). But if, like most people, you are online at least an hour a day and tend to use WAY over 15 hours a month, a flat monthly fee makes more sense -- and that is exactly what AOL and other ISPs are selling to the vast majority of net users today.
Let's face the music: "All You Can Eat" entertainment seems to be winning out everywhere. This model won out in the Cable TV realm (most folks pay a flat fee per month, but can buy a PPV movie on demand or add special channels for a fee). Napster To Go is similar; pay a flat amount per month to consume all you want, but you can buy songs outright for extra fees (a buck a pop). "All You Can Eat" may also soon win out in DVD rentals, thanks to the ingenious NETFLIX folks (they forced BLOCKBUSTER to offer a similar "all you can eat DVD rental" option, and even spawned a sorta-copycat service that offers only special, unusual or niche films called, pun probably intended, NICHEFLIX). With the Napster To Go model sure to shake things up in the music world, and gain legions of new users, I predict Apple and other tunesellers will be forced to respond with their own subscription models that either copy Napster's N2go or are very similar.
(Perhaps Napster should concoct an ad or slogan that somewhere pushes the notion that "the M in Mp3 now stands for MOBILE -- mobile music, mobile audio (books, etc), mobile podcasts, etc. Most users want to enjoy their downloads anywhere they want, all they want, when they want. With N2go, it's a go!)
So, perhaps all things old are new again; the more things change, the more they stay the same. We seem to be headed for a new version of the old days, where millions of music mavens once again download millions of songs, consuming all they want -- the only difference being this time, the RIAA can stay away, there's one low monthly fee to pay. Think of that fee as a modest tip, if you will, for being assured great sound quality and compatibility with your player and better selection. Or, think of it as "pay for 1 CD, get several thousand free, every month". No matter how you make it sound, Napster To Go sounds good to us.
Stay tuned to The Rose Review for future developments in the ongoing Download Wars saga.
by Don Rose
(March 30, 2005: West Hollywood, CA) As we all remember, Napster rocked our world back in the Dot Com Boom, by making Peer To Peer music downloading a household phenomenon -- and inspiring millions to huddle around the "comp-fire" to upload/download millions of tunes. Cut to today: a new mini Net Boom of sorts is back, and the Cat has come Back in a big way in its battle with Apple for music downloading supremacy -- first by relaunching (as a fine pay service), then topping itself with its unique new service called NAPSTER TO GO. The key New Thing here: PORTABILITY OF SONGS, allowing N2GO subscribers to download and listen to an UNLIMITED amount of music, and do so on (certain compatible) MP3 players, as long as a low monthly $14.95 fee is paid. So, if you are the type who, say, buys at least 1 new CD each month, on average, that same general price can instead get you all the songs you want (on a PC or an MP3 player, at home or on the road).
To get the word out with a Big Bang here in L.A., Napster took over Mel's Diner on the Sunset Strip tonight, with celebs like Nick Lachey in attendance, to give music lovers a lot of FREE tunes, FREE coffee -- and, yes, even FREE MP3 players! (The latter being the amazingly cool iRiver H10 5GB MP3 Player, which not only holds upwards of a thousand tunes but can display photos, record FM or your voice, and file your taxes -- okay, okay, not the latter, just making sure you're paying attention, but by the way, you have two weeks left to file -- and speaking of files, you can store all the songs you want from Napster, for as long as you want, pretty much wherever you want, thanks to N2go -- from a pool of tunes totalling one MILLION, says the Napster website -- as long as that aforementioned fee is paid each month; if you stop paying the monthly fee, you can no longer listen to the songs you downloaded, so in essence you are renting them).
You may be wondering, is it better to RENT or OWN when it comes to music? Well, do the math. If you currently buy at least 15 songs a month from napster.com or iTunes.com or other similar services -- or, say, buy around 1 CD a month from real-world "dino-stores" or online stores -- you get a MUCH better deal from Napster To Go, which lets you listen to UNLIMITED songs (ok, a million, but to many that's plenty) -- yet it's around the same price per month. For those who download a lot of music, who like to find and try new music out without having to shell out almost a buck each time, the All You Can Eat model of Napster To Go is great. If you download 3 songs a month, $15 seems high; if you download 300, or 3000, $15 is a steal (oops, I mean, bargain).
You can also analyze this using an analogy from the net access world: if you use the internet less than 15 hours a month, you are better off just paying a dollar an hour for service (if that is available on your service). But if, like most people, you are online at least an hour a day and tend to use WAY over 15 hours a month, a flat monthly fee makes more sense -- and that is exactly what AOL and other ISPs are selling to the vast majority of net users today.
Let's face the music: "All You Can Eat" entertainment seems to be winning out everywhere. This model won out in the Cable TV realm (most folks pay a flat fee per month, but can buy a PPV movie on demand or add special channels for a fee). Napster To Go is similar; pay a flat amount per month to consume all you want, but you can buy songs outright for extra fees (a buck a pop). "All You Can Eat" may also soon win out in DVD rentals, thanks to the ingenious NETFLIX folks (they forced BLOCKBUSTER to offer a similar "all you can eat DVD rental" option, and even spawned a sorta-copycat service that offers only special, unusual or niche films called, pun probably intended, NICHEFLIX). With the Napster To Go model sure to shake things up in the music world, and gain legions of new users, I predict Apple and other tunesellers will be forced to respond with their own subscription models that either copy Napster's N2go or are very similar.
(Perhaps Napster should concoct an ad or slogan that somewhere pushes the notion that "the M in Mp3 now stands for MOBILE -- mobile music, mobile audio (books, etc), mobile podcasts, etc. Most users want to enjoy their downloads anywhere they want, all they want, when they want. With N2go, it's a go!)
So, perhaps all things old are new again; the more things change, the more they stay the same. We seem to be headed for a new version of the old days, where millions of music mavens once again download millions of songs, consuming all they want -- the only difference being this time, the RIAA can stay away, there's one low monthly fee to pay. Think of that fee as a modest tip, if you will, for being assured great sound quality and compatibility with your player and better selection. Or, think of it as "pay for 1 CD, get several thousand free, every month". No matter how you make it sound, Napster To Go sounds good to us.
Stay tuned to The Rose Review for future developments in the ongoing Download Wars saga.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
SEXY SOUNDS OF "SEX AND THE SIXTIES" CD
From the retro-genius of Hal Lifson comes yet another great artful 60's artifact, and the fact is, it's great -- just as great as his seminal creations, the book and CD called "1966!". The list of tunes on the new CD is eclectic, which is one of its strengths (I challenge you to find any other CD where you can hear Agent 99 from "Get Smart" singing and purring through a ditty, along with Nancy Sinatra and the soothing seducing sounds of other sultry sex kittens). Get this CD, and something from Esquivel, and your bitchin' bachelor pad will be, like, totally happening, daddy-o.
Monday, March 28, 2005
SAY IT WITH ME, AND TOMMY T: "8 6 7 5 3 0 9"
Wondering why that sounds so familiar?
Why you know this seemingly random set of numbers, 8 6 7 5, 3 oh ny-ee-ine.......
Because it is, arguably, the Most Famous Phone Number In Music History.
Tommy Tutone, damn him, infected Gen X and Late Boomers brains in the 80's with this seven digit virus, and now I/we can never forget this number. But, hey, is it really really Jenny Jenny, Who Can I Turn To's number? And, what AREA CODE, for gosh sakes? Someone please solve this mystery... hell, get Baretta, maybe, ain't he available again?
Why you know this seemingly random set of numbers, 8 6 7 5, 3 oh ny-ee-ine.......
Because it is, arguably, the Most Famous Phone Number In Music History.
Tommy Tutone, damn him, infected Gen X and Late Boomers brains in the 80's with this seven digit virus, and now I/we can never forget this number. But, hey, is it really really Jenny Jenny, Who Can I Turn To's number? And, what AREA CODE, for gosh sakes? Someone please solve this mystery... hell, get Baretta, maybe, ain't he available again?
YOU SHOULD KNOW "JACK": LA'S 93.1FM RELOADED
Another FM radio station has bit the dust. And been resurrected.
The latest Phoenix tale: ARROW 93 is gone; in its place, the new "JACK FM" (93.1 FM in LA).
The old station used a classic rock format, and perhaps felt too much competish from KLOS 95.5. The new JACK FM still has a DJ (who sounds pre-recorded, not live), but he is hardly ever in the way; so far, at least, they are letting the songs speak for themselves -- which is great; not only do we get uninterrupted music blocks, but we also get to play the game of "Guess What Our New Format Is". One clue: this DJ has said several times, in various ways, that "the advertisers give us money so we can play what we want" (in fact, that is pretty much all he has said). They have been playing many songs in a row, with no interruptions until a short ad block hits. (No dumb banter or back-announcing song titles -- just song after song, end to end. Maybe that is why one caller said, in a nano-promo spot, that now he knows what happened to his iPod.)
Here are the bands I have heard so far early this morning (some titles may be a bit off, but you'll get the gist): Grateful Dead (my favorite Dead ditty, Touch of Gray), Peter Gabriel (In Your Eyes), Eagles (All She Wants to Do Is Dance...), The Clash (You Can Stand by Me...), Van Morrison (Brown Eyed Girl), Oingo Boingo (Dead Man's Party), Kansas (Dust In The Wind), Tears For Fears (Everybody Wants To Rule The World), and Sir Paul (Band On The Run). Sounds like a greatest hits from other major stations in LA. But I like that, cuz I like eclectic. If you don't like the genre now, wait 3 minutes and odds are you may like the next song. If KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" only played songs before Bush the Elder ruled the world, it might be like this new JACK.
So far, I likes what I hears. Keep your fingers crossed.
JACK FM, 93.1 FM, in Los Angeles. 866-931-JACK is their number. The DJ dude said they don't take requests, because "we play what we want". But if you call anyway, let me know what you find out...
The latest Phoenix tale: ARROW 93 is gone; in its place, the new "JACK FM" (93.1 FM in LA).
The old station used a classic rock format, and perhaps felt too much competish from KLOS 95.5. The new JACK FM still has a DJ (who sounds pre-recorded, not live), but he is hardly ever in the way; so far, at least, they are letting the songs speak for themselves -- which is great; not only do we get uninterrupted music blocks, but we also get to play the game of "Guess What Our New Format Is". One clue: this DJ has said several times, in various ways, that "the advertisers give us money so we can play what we want" (in fact, that is pretty much all he has said). They have been playing many songs in a row, with no interruptions until a short ad block hits. (No dumb banter or back-announcing song titles -- just song after song, end to end. Maybe that is why one caller said, in a nano-promo spot, that now he knows what happened to his iPod.)
Here are the bands I have heard so far early this morning (some titles may be a bit off, but you'll get the gist): Grateful Dead (my favorite Dead ditty, Touch of Gray), Peter Gabriel (In Your Eyes), Eagles (All She Wants to Do Is Dance...), The Clash (You Can Stand by Me...), Van Morrison (Brown Eyed Girl), Oingo Boingo (Dead Man's Party), Kansas (Dust In The Wind), Tears For Fears (Everybody Wants To Rule The World), and Sir Paul (Band On The Run). Sounds like a greatest hits from other major stations in LA. But I like that, cuz I like eclectic. If you don't like the genre now, wait 3 minutes and odds are you may like the next song. If KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" only played songs before Bush the Elder ruled the world, it might be like this new JACK.
So far, I likes what I hears. Keep your fingers crossed.
JACK FM, 93.1 FM, in Los Angeles. 866-931-JACK is their number. The DJ dude said they don't take requests, because "we play what we want". But if you call anyway, let me know what you find out...
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
ALANIS AT LAST A LASS OF OUR LAND
It’s official--ALANIS MORISSETTE is now an American citizen. At a recent ceremony, ALANIS and 4500 others took an oath and were sworn in at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I know what you're thinking: great, more traffic. But face it, you and/or most of those you know are not true natives either, so get over it -- and besides, You Oughta Know that immigration is what makes this Melting Pot so great.
It was no surprise that Alanis, an emotional performer, got emotional on her special day. “There was a turning point during the ceremony where I felt connected to this country in a way that I didn’t quite expect. America has been really great to me and I have felt welcomed since the day I came here." When the national anthem was about to be performed at the ceremony, the singer’s emotions almost overtook her. “I wanted to walk up to one of the officials to ask if I could sing the anthem.” Instead, concertgoers at her Los Angeles show that evening were treated to an impromptu version of the “Star Spangled Banner” in mid-set. The show also featured surprise guest performers like actor Dermot Mulroney (who knew "The Wedding Date" man played cello?), Boyd Tinsley (Dave Matthews Band violinist) and fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne. Toward the end of the set, Alanis began performing Avril’s “Losing Grip,” during which Avril joined Alanis onstage before the two dueted on Alanis’ “Ironic.”
But Alanis fans north of the border needn’t worry, she isn’t turning her back on her native land. “I will never renounce my Canadian citizenship--I consider myself a Canadian-American,” says the singer, songwriter and musician. “It can be difficult to travel and being an American will make it easier to travel over borders. I’ll also be able to sponsor family members who want to come and live near me.” And, not unexpectedly, she added, “I’d like to make political comments and not have my chops busted by people who say I don’t have the right to comment.” Personally, I can't picture anyone who's heard "You Oughta Know" trying to bust Alanis's chops... but if they did, watch out -- she now has the right to make a citizen's arrest. And if she did, I know what you'd be thinking. "Isn't it ironic..."
It was no surprise that Alanis, an emotional performer, got emotional on her special day. “There was a turning point during the ceremony where I felt connected to this country in a way that I didn’t quite expect. America has been really great to me and I have felt welcomed since the day I came here." When the national anthem was about to be performed at the ceremony, the singer’s emotions almost overtook her. “I wanted to walk up to one of the officials to ask if I could sing the anthem.” Instead, concertgoers at her Los Angeles show that evening were treated to an impromptu version of the “Star Spangled Banner” in mid-set. The show also featured surprise guest performers like actor Dermot Mulroney (who knew "The Wedding Date" man played cello?), Boyd Tinsley (Dave Matthews Band violinist) and fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne. Toward the end of the set, Alanis began performing Avril’s “Losing Grip,” during which Avril joined Alanis onstage before the two dueted on Alanis’ “Ironic.”
But Alanis fans north of the border needn’t worry, she isn’t turning her back on her native land. “I will never renounce my Canadian citizenship--I consider myself a Canadian-American,” says the singer, songwriter and musician. “It can be difficult to travel and being an American will make it easier to travel over borders. I’ll also be able to sponsor family members who want to come and live near me.” And, not unexpectedly, she added, “I’d like to make political comments and not have my chops busted by people who say I don’t have the right to comment.” Personally, I can't picture anyone who's heard "You Oughta Know" trying to bust Alanis's chops... but if they did, watch out -- she now has the right to make a citizen's arrest. And if she did, I know what you'd be thinking. "Isn't it ironic..."
Thursday, March 10, 2005
FREE MUSIC ONLINE! GET 750+ SXSW SONGS USING BIT-TORRENT
WIRED News is reporting that the South By Southwest music festival, or SXSW, "has provided on its website a library of free MP3s of bands participating in the conference. This year, the festival is making it even easier to listen by providing a huge BitTorrent file (2.6 GB) of more than 750 songs. The songs can be downloaded for free using the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file-sharing application." Wow, free tunes, and no lawsuits to worry about! Let us at TRR know which are the best tunes.
Monday, March 07, 2005
JANET RENO INSPIRES 'SONG OF AMERICA' ALBUM; TEAMS WITH DAVID MACIAS, GRAMMY WINNER FOR STEPHEN FOSTER TRIBUTE
Maybe there is something about the Attorney General post that inspires music. First, recent A.G. John Ashcroft sings "Let The Eagle Soar" (ruffling a few feathers in the music critic field, I suspect). Now, former A.G. under Bill Clinton, Janet Reno, is getting in on the (musical) act.
Reno is teaming with Grammy-winning producer David Macias on the project, called SONG OF AMERICA -- a series of recordings that will tell the history of our country through music, from 1620 up until the present. Inspired by Reno, and due out in 2006 on MACIAS' own Emergent label, SONG OF AMERICA will feature 50 tunes performed by an eclectic assembly of well-known artists covering all styles of music. (Macias garnered a Grammy for "Best Traditional Folk Album" for his co-production work on the critically acclaimed Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster).
The pair first met after Reno -- the country's first female Attorney General -- was given a copy of Beautiful Dreamer during a visit to Nashville. After learning the Stephen Foster tribute was Macias' brainchild, mutual friends brought Reno and Macias together. "I got a call asking if I'd like to have lunch with Janet Reno," says Macias. "So I said, 'well sure, sure I would.' The conversation centered on this idea of telling the story of American through its songs. Basically, we want to go back to colonial times, through the revolutionary war and retrace the country's footsteps to the current day with a musical narrative of what happened."
Reno originally conceived of the SONG OF AMERICA with her niece's husband, songwriter/producer Ed Pettersen, as a way for Americans to reconnect to their musical and cultural heritage. Pettersen further developed the idea as a compilation that would donate profits to folk music education, which garnered Reno's enthusiastic support. The ex-A.G. is delighted about the project finding a home with Macias' Emergent label because she sees it as a great project for America's youth. Along with Reno, Macias believes the album could be a great educational tool, adding, "One of the things that we'd like to be able to do is to get this album and an accompanying teacher's guide to every elementary school teacher in America."
Macias will co-produce SONG OF AMERICA with Pettersen and the production company Split Rock Records. In doing so, Macias will draw on his experience as co-producer of Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, where he was pivotal in bringing the work of America's first great songwriter to life. Along with Steve Fishell, he enlisted a group of talented artists -- including John Prine, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo, Michelle Shocked, Mavis Staples, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ron Sexsmith and Roger McGuinn -- to put their unique stamp on such Foster compositions as "Oh Susanna," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Camptown Races," "Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." Performing Songwriter called the album "a star-studded and notable release that is garnering acclaim as being that rarest of creatures--a tribute record that lives up to its promise."
"To have something that you think about and you dream about for such a long time finally come to fruition is very special," says Macias about his work on the album. "Then to have it recognized by the creative community is very special. It just feels wonderful."
"Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster" won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 13 at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Pre-telecast. Kudos to producers Steve Fishell, David Macias and Tamara Saviano -- and all the contributing artists.
Reno is teaming with Grammy-winning producer David Macias on the project, called SONG OF AMERICA -- a series of recordings that will tell the history of our country through music, from 1620 up until the present. Inspired by Reno, and due out in 2006 on MACIAS' own Emergent label, SONG OF AMERICA will feature 50 tunes performed by an eclectic assembly of well-known artists covering all styles of music. (Macias garnered a Grammy for "Best Traditional Folk Album" for his co-production work on the critically acclaimed Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster).
The pair first met after Reno -- the country's first female Attorney General -- was given a copy of Beautiful Dreamer during a visit to Nashville. After learning the Stephen Foster tribute was Macias' brainchild, mutual friends brought Reno and Macias together. "I got a call asking if I'd like to have lunch with Janet Reno," says Macias. "So I said, 'well sure, sure I would.' The conversation centered on this idea of telling the story of American through its songs. Basically, we want to go back to colonial times, through the revolutionary war and retrace the country's footsteps to the current day with a musical narrative of what happened."
Reno originally conceived of the SONG OF AMERICA with her niece's husband, songwriter/producer Ed Pettersen, as a way for Americans to reconnect to their musical and cultural heritage. Pettersen further developed the idea as a compilation that would donate profits to folk music education, which garnered Reno's enthusiastic support. The ex-A.G. is delighted about the project finding a home with Macias' Emergent label because she sees it as a great project for America's youth. Along with Reno, Macias believes the album could be a great educational tool, adding, "One of the things that we'd like to be able to do is to get this album and an accompanying teacher's guide to every elementary school teacher in America."
Macias will co-produce SONG OF AMERICA with Pettersen and the production company Split Rock Records. In doing so, Macias will draw on his experience as co-producer of Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, where he was pivotal in bringing the work of America's first great songwriter to life. Along with Steve Fishell, he enlisted a group of talented artists -- including John Prine, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo, Michelle Shocked, Mavis Staples, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ron Sexsmith and Roger McGuinn -- to put their unique stamp on such Foster compositions as "Oh Susanna," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Camptown Races," "Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." Performing Songwriter called the album "a star-studded and notable release that is garnering acclaim as being that rarest of creatures--a tribute record that lives up to its promise."
"To have something that you think about and you dream about for such a long time finally come to fruition is very special," says Macias about his work on the album. "Then to have it recognized by the creative community is very special. It just feels wonderful."
"Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster" won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 13 at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Pre-telecast. Kudos to producers Steve Fishell, David Macias and Tamara Saviano -- and all the contributing artists.
