this image will soon only exist in pictures (and Seinfeld)...

The NY Times reports:

Bleecker Bob's will close its store at 118 West Third Street at the end of April, according to a manager, Chris Wiedener.

"It's kind of disappointing," said Giancarlo Caccamo, 19, a customer at Bleecker Bob's on Thursday evening, upon learning the news. The vinyl records that pack the wooden bins and milk crates in the cluttered, narrow space are an increasingly endangered species, said Mr. Caccamo, who was in search of a record by Mott the Hoople.

The store's closing seemed to sound a death knell for vinyl itself. "I just love the warm fuzz that you get," he said. "There's nothing like that sound."

Javier Medina, 43, who began shopping at Bleecker Bob's in the 1970s and has worked there as a salesman for the last decade, was more concerned about the loss of a piece of history. "This place should be a landmark," he said while chatting with Gary Rookard, 53, who sells glass pipes on a table outside. "Everybody in the world knows it."

Watch the Beastie Boys video "Open Letter to NY" (Bob's shoutout included), below...

Continue reading "Bleeker Bob's closing (but not becoming a Starbucks)"

photos by Tim Griffin

DeVotchKa @ Webster Hall - January 24, 2009

1. Death Cab For Cutie - "Love Song" (Cure cover)
2. Katy Perry - "Black And Gold" (Sam Sparro cover)
3. DeVotchKa - "Hot Burrito #1" (Flying Burrito Brothers cover)
4. Department Of Eagles - "Love Me" (Elvis Presley cover)
5. Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Words Of Love" (Buddy Holly cover)
6. Ben Bridwell - "Your Love Is Forever" (George Harrison cover)
7. Kate Tucker - "I'm On Fire" (Bruce Springsteen cover)
8. Rogue Wave - "Maps" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover)
9. A.C. Newman - "Take On Me" (a-ha cover)
10. Jem - "Yellow" (Coldplay cover)
11. Richard Hawley - "Early Morning Rain" (Gordon Lightfoot cover)
12. Daniel Martin Moore - "I Hear Music" (Billie Holiday cover)
13. She & Him - "I Put A Spell On You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover)
14. Lila Downs - "My One And Only Love" (Frank Sinatra cover)

The above cover art and tracklist is from the previously-mentioned Starbucks Sweetheart CD they're putting out this year for Valentine's Day.

The makers of track #3, DeVotchKa, recently announced some dates with Les Clapool, played an NPR-streamable show in Philly on Friday, and played Webster Hall in NYC one night later (1/24). More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Devotchka - Webster Hall pics, an NPR Philly show stream & the Starbucks Sweetheart CD tracklist"

by Ryan Barkan

Advertising agencies make lots of online commercials. You know, spots made not for television, but with the hope the brand's message will spread virally on the net in an organic way. Though lots of them never catch steam like a rickroll, the new Guitar Hero World Tour "Bike Hero" video has already been watched over one million times. The creative takes The Living End's "Prisoner of Society" and turns it into a live action, first person bike ride through the song's playable level in GHWT. It's a pretty cool idea with amazing execution and a slight bit of computer magic. Watch the video below.

Other Notable Licensing News:

Bishop Allen played two shows in NYC over the weekend. They are a band that has benefited from some key licensing placements in the last year. The band appeared and performed in the recent Michael Sera movie, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Watch the scene below. The song they performed, "Middle Management", was also on the soundtrack and used in the film's trailer. They were also used in a commercial for Sony digital cameras late last year - watch the spot here.

Crayola goes indie-cool this holiday season with Dan Deacon and Lightspeed Champion songs in the campaign for the new Glow Station (via Pitchfork). Watch the spots below.

The new holiday commercial from LL Bean features "Valley Winter Song" by Fountains Of Wayne.

Danish band The Blue Van rock the soundtrack to the new Samsung Behold commercial. Watch below.

While enjoying college football on Saturday, I heard Nick Drake's "Place To Be" used in a promo spot for Michigan State. That video is below too.

I have a bunch of friends that can not get enough of the show Top Chef. Some of those friends are also crazy for the Foo Fighters (editor's note: with friends like that who needs enemies? JUST KIDDING. Actually that doesn't even make sense...). Those friends will be in heaven when TC goes "Foo Fighters Thanksgiving" this upcoming November 26th. The episode taped during a tour stop in Rochester, NY; the band will guest judge the few remaining contestants. Apparently, TC is Dave Grohl's favorite show.

You may have heard A-Ha's classic jam "Take On Me" before. It is/was a popular song and video. So popular, A.C. Newman is going to cover it for an upcoming Valentine's Day compilation for Starbucks. Even more so, you can take it on karaoke-style in the new video game by Microsoft, LIPS. The pretty clever commercial for the game uses the song as well. Watch it below.

The game's soundtrack also includes songs by The Police, Coldplay, Duffy, The Cure, Peter, Bjorn, & John, Radiohead, and more.

Nintendo DS and Wii players can now get their skateboard on while on the go with the release of EA's Skate It. The soundtrack contains tracks by Cut Chemist, Fujiya & Miyagi, Judas Priest, The Clash, Sly & the Family Stone, and more.

continued below...

Continue reading "This week in Music Licensing "

Washington Post: Let's talk about commerce. Some of your fans went ballistic when news came out that Sonic Youth was doing a Starbucks compilation, "Hits Are for Squares." Not very indie of you, etc., never mind that you recorded for Universal Music. Explain, please.

Thurston Moore: I was basically looking for different avenues of distribution. The reality is that nobody's going to record stores anymore - but they're going to Starbucks to buy teas and coffees and donuts. It's just another store for God's sake. I know a lot of people apply a lot of issues to Starbucks and say they have some kind of nefarious business. I don't know anything about it; I'm sure there are some young radicals who can set me straight on that. But I kind of like the absurdity of it, the [expletive] you of it. I appreciate that people are watching us, but whatever.

We put together this compilation of our songs chosen by people in the public eye who we knew were fans - actors, writers, musicians, artists. And it came out pretty well. Our original cover idea was a picture a friend of ours took in a Starbucks in New York. A homeless guy had his head down on stained copy of the New York Times, and there were some college kids in the picture, which looked like a bombed out Starbucks waiting room. We sent that in and they said: "No!" (Laughs.) Even though it's the interior of a real Starbucks. Our friend then took a picture of a yuppie wearing white headphones, which we used. And it's kind of subversive really.

Sonic Youth has finalized the track list for its compilation "Hits Are for Squares," due June 10 exclusively in Starbucks stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as well as online.

In addition to the exclusive Sonic Youth track "Slow Revolution," the limited-edition CD features Sonic Youth songs, handpicked by Radiohead, Chloe Sevigny, Dave Eggers, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Beck, Flea, David Cross and other enthusiasts. Participants have also written about their selections for the liner notes... [Billboard]

Continue reading "The SONIC YOUTH Starbucks tracklist (curated by Radiohead, David Cross, Beck, Eddie Vedder, Flaming Lips...)"

Starbucks Corp. will pull back on its entertainment division, turning over the day-to-day management of its Hear Music record label to Concord Music Group.
Starbucks started the Los Angeles-based music label in March 2007 and had signed such acts as former Beatle Paul McCartney. Concord, of Beverly Hills, Calif., will assume responsibility for current and future Hear Music artists.

Ken Lombard, who ran Hear Music for the past year, "has left the company to pursue other business interests," said officials at the Seattle coffee giant (NASDAQ: SBUX), in a statement. [Business Journal]

Critics in the music industry say the company squandered its cachet by mismanaging the effort to broaden its music mix......Its sliding reputation in the music business represents a setback in its efforts to build cultural credibility, which have also included promotion of a handful of films like "Akeelah and the Bee," books like Mitch Albom's "For One More Day" and an in-house magazine called Joe. [NY TIMES] (via)

Continue reading "Starbucks is losing its (indie) cred"

Paul McCartney Nutcracker, Seattle, 2007 (cred)

....I feel like I made the right decision, because right after I left, EMI got sold, so obviously something was wrong. They are now in new hands and are applying themselves and they're going to bring themselves into the modern world. This is the point. They were floundering. Like a lot of these record companies, they were in the old world and they needed to enter the new world. It's not just me. Look at Radiohead's new outing. Artists are taking it into their own hands again, and it's really showing the record companies that it's time they get their act together. It's not the end of the world for EMI, they are like family to me. But the funny thing was, they understood. I'd told people I'd known for years at the label, "Hey, guys, I've gotta make this move." And some of them said quietly, off the record, "I really don't blame you, man."....... [Paul McCartney to Chicago Tribune]

Continue reading "Paul McCartney on Radiohead & labels, Help! on DVD"

Thurston Moore @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, NYC - Sept 26, 2007 (CRED)

How was the show? The Boston Globe recently interviewed Thurston. Here's a clip:

BOSTON GLOBE: What do you say to people who think you've sold out by dealing with Starbucks?

THURSTON MOORE: There's no difference between working with Starbucks and working with record labels like Universal and Geffen. It's a knee-jerk reaction from PC watchdogs. I mean, really, which long-distance company do you use for your cellphone? Are you on the grid? If you're off the grid, I'll listen to you.

Sonic Youth fans in an Urban Outfitters - July 21, 2007 (CRED)

Sonic Youth's final USA performance of the Daydream Nation album happens this Saturday July 28th at the historic McCarren Park Pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The Slits (still reunited) are opening, and the show is now sold out. Want to win tickets? E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Daydream), and let me know what the last show you saw was. Two winners will be picked at random, contact and awarded a pair of tickets (by 5pm today). Include your first and last name for list.

The Slits are also playing in Philly tonight (July 27), and then a few places in California.

The official McCarren Pool 'Smells Like Records' afterparty is not Saturday night. Instead it's happening on Sunday at The Living Room. The lineup: 7 Tall Firs, 8 John Wolfington, 9 Michelle Cassias w/ Tony Scherr, 10 Chris Lee, and @ 11 Tony Scherr. Sonic Youth's drummer Steve Shelley will be playing drums for John Wolfington and Chris Lee. Tall Firs are on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label. It's sure to be a Sonic Youth-filled evening.

In other (depressing?) Sonic Youth news, the band will be releasing a compilation via Starbucks - the new home of Joni Mitchell (and of course Paul McCartney). Eddie Vedder, Jeff Tweedy, David Cross, Beck, and others are part of the Sonic Youth comp as well.

More Sonic Youth tour dates below....

Continue reading "the Slits & SONIC YOUTH, WIN TICKETS, an afterparty, Starbucks & Joni Mitchell"

Jack did it in NY. Jack did it in LA. Paul did it in NY. Now Paul's doing it in LA. Is Jack better than Paul, or is Paul better than Jack? Do you prefer your caffeine from Starbucks or Coke? Just kidding. (thx tm).