News & Views

News …

Wouldn’t you know it? MySpace gets a digital music deal and now all the social-networking sites want one. Next in line? Facebook – Reuters

Katy Perry gets to have her cake and eat it too at MTV Latin American Awards – The Times Online U.K.

Writing a terrible song with silly lyrics is easy. Writing a great song with silly lyrics, well, that’s hard – The Guardian U.K.

Cypress Hill sued for infringement as composer claims the group lifted beat from one of his songs released in 1969 – PR-Inside.com

There’s a good time coming next year for the Beatles fan who has everything – Beatles watches coming your way in 2009 – Licensing .biz

David Grisman improvises a Q&A – Times-Herald Record

Views …

Nick Lowe in Rochester, New York – “Armed with just a single acoustic guitar, Lowe’s 80-minute set spanned his very long and intriguing career, culminating in a flurry of simply great rock and roll writing: ‘I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock & Roll),’ ‘The Beast in Me,’ which he wrote for his former father-in-law, Johnny Cash; and an old anthem we really need these days, ‘(What’s So Funny About) Peace Love & Understanding.'” – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Brad Paisley in Hildago, Texas – ” … a crowd of thousands suspended disbelief and at Brad Paisley’s suggestion, pretended it was a Friday night and they were at Dodge Arena to party.” – The Monitor

Ben Folds in St. Louis – ” … was in fine spirits, judging by how many times he sprang off his piano stool constantly and dug in his heels like a determined performer.” – Riverfront Times

Laurie Anderson in Seattle – “Anderson can still layer her instruments and transform her voice, both singing and speaking, into a man’s, but the videos are gone and the music stripped down. She has pared to her roots, which are in storytelling set to music, beginning with birds.” – Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Duffy in Vancouver – “She’s irresistible, from her big, nouveau Motown sound and soulful voice to her pin-up hairdo and retro dance moves.” – The Vancouver Sun / Canada.com

Michael Buble in Birmingham, Alabama – “a brash, retro-Rat Pack vibe that’s lanced by self-awareness and a satirical sense of humor. Underneath all of that, a generous heart, which Buble revealed to his audience in carefully measured doses. ” – The Birmingham News / al.com

French & Saunders in London – ” … are calling time on their double act – and they’re doing it with all the energy, ingenuity and wonky editing skills that have marked out their 30 years together. ” – The Times Online U.K.

They Say It’s Their Birthday … (Or so says Associated Press)

Earl Thomas Conley is 67

Jim Seals is 66

Gary Puckett is 66

Alan Jackson is 50

Fred LeBlanc (Cowboy Mouth) is 45

Ziggy Marley is 40

Chris Kirkpatrick (*NSYNC) is 37

Eminem is 36

Wyclef Jean is 36