"Just a few years ago, Napster was acquired by Best Buy for a massive $121 million. Now it seems Best Buy is ready to off-load the music service, as on-demand music provider Rhapsody has just sent out a release informing the press of its intentions to acquire Napster.

Details of the acquisition are thin on the ground but the deal is expected to close at the end of November. When it does, Rhapsody will acquire Napster subscribers and certain other assets while Best Buy will receive a minority stake in Rhapsody.

"This deal will further extend Rhapsody's lead over our competitors in the growing on-demand music market," said Jon Irwin, president, Rhapsody. "There's substantial value in bringing Napster's subscribers and robust IP portfolio to Rhapsody as we execute on our strategy to expand our business via direct acquisition of members and distribution deals."" [Tom's Guide]

Nostalgic for Napster's glory days.

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead headlined the Rhapsody Rocks event at The Mohawk in Austin on 3/19 joined by Joe Strummer look-alikes Glasvegas, School Of Seven Bells, Vivian Girls and Wavves. Between our day party, and Full Metal Texas with Kylesa & Black Math Horseman, it was a busy SXSW afternoon, so I was only able to catch a few minutes of Wavves and all of Trail of Dead, who were just amazing.

School of Seven Bells are scheduled to hit the road with Black Moth Super Rainbow, followed by a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom on June 12th (tickets here).

Glasvegas will be at MHOW on March 28th and Webster Hall on March 30th with Ida Maria. Both shows are sold out. Their "night off", March 29th, isn't a night off at all.... look for them on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Wavves plays three shows on the exact same three nights... Market Hotel on Mar 28th, Cake Shop on the 29th, and Merc on Mar 30th with DD/MM/YYY (tickets here).

Vivian Girls will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 2nd opening for Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.

Trail of Dead just played NYC right before Austin. More tour dates and Austin pictures (including shots with Jason Reece performing in the crowd), below...

Continue reading "Trail of Dead SXSW pics & related news"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Mission Of Burma headlined the Rhapsody/Becks/IBM/McDonalds/Taco Bell party at Music Hall Of Williamsburg along with The King Khan & BBQ Show, The Dutchess & The Duke, and Jay Reatard (pics here). OK, so it wasn't all those sponsors. And granted, there was free Becks beer all night. .. but somewhere between the giant video truck parked outside, multiple video cameras in the audience and on stage, spotlights reading Rhapsody and Becks, and the swag, I found the corporate sponsorship of the show a tad annoying. But hey, I guess that's the price you pay when you are getting a line-up like this for five measly bills.

Unfortunately, I slid in a touch late (Sorry Jay, Dutchess, Duke) to see King Khan on stage with BBQ. Lots of very simple, garagey soul-inflected fun but frankly, I find his live show with The Shrines much more compelling. Not only is the music much more dynamic (and just as FUN), it gives King Khan much more breathing room to do what he does best... act like a horse's ass in ridiculous costumes. That said, you know King Khan isn't showing up in his civvies.... no sir e bob. King Khan was wearing a ridiculous sparked bikini bottom and a Stevie Wonder wig circa Hotter Than July. Good times.

The thing that shocked me the most about Mission of Burma (and I hope I am not coming off as an age-ist here - NOT my intention) is how much energy they have and how just plain amazing they are on stage... STILL. Lead guitarist Roger Miller's angular riffs were just awesome, and punctuated with swift headbutts of the microphone in between his pogo-ing. I enjoyed seeing these post-punk legends thoroughly.

MOB's setlist and more pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Mission of Burma, King Khan & BBQ show, and the Dutchess & the Duke @ the Rhapsody party @ MHOW, NYC - pics"

Photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

"I could give you a million adjectives to describe it, but just 'disappointed' would probably be the most important one," he says over the phone from his home in Memphis during a brief break in an exhaustive tour schedule. "To have it be out of my control and go down the drain that way, it was so frustrating. I just felt like it was completely out of my control. And the whole punching thing is such a miniscule part of why that show didn't continue and people don't really seem to understand that.

"But I don't feel a need to defend myself. It just happened. I didn't feel like the audience was safe and I didn't feel safe. If I'm a pussy for that or I'm not punk rock for that, so be it. I've never claimed to be a long, lost member of the Cro-Mags or anything. It kind of played itself out how it did and it really sucked. I really hope that next time we play that the amount of energy in the audience and the enthusiasm doesn't cross the line into making it impossible to play." [National Post]

Jay Reatard opened the Rhapsody show at MHOW on Thursday so he could make it in time to play Maxwell's later in the night (10/23). Those were two of many shows he went on to play over the course of the CMJ week. More pictures from this Brooklyn one below...

Continue reading "Jay Reatard @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, NYC - pics"

Mission of Burma @ P4K Fest 2008 (more by Elizabeth Weinberg)

Mission of Burma are headlining a Rhapsody party at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on Thursday, October 23rd. That's during CMJ, but the show is not part of CMJ. Instead it is completely open to the public and only costs $5.00. Also on the bill: The King Khan & BBQ Show, The Dutchess & The Duke and Jay Reatard.

That ups the number of NYC-area shows Jay is playing that week to five (so far). There's also the shows at Santos, Bowery Ballroom, Glasslands, and Maxwell's. Amazingly, the Maxwell's show is the same night as this $5.00 Williamsburg show...

Jay Reatard - 2008 NYC Tour Dates
10-23 MHOW w/ Mission of Burma & King Khan & BBQ Show (tix on sale Oct 3)
10-23 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's (CMJ) (tix)
10-24 Bowery Ballroom ) w/ Violens, White Lies, Longwave & Japanese Motors (tix)
10-25 Glasslands w/ Amazing Baby, Women & Crystal Antlers (tix)
10-26 Santos Party House w/ Vivian Girls (tix)

King Khan & the BBQ Show also have NYC dates scheduled at the end of November. The Dutchess & the Duke are also playing the Sub Pop / Hardly Art showcase. More JR tour dates HERE. All (barely any) Mission of Burma dates below...

Continue reading "Mission of Burma for $5.00, more King Khan & Jay Reatard shows, CMJ & other tour dates "