On the Music industry...

This is the place for me to rant.
A couple of posts down I review the Magic. You maybe wondering, "How did you get a copy to review?" Basically, sources not completely legal.
With that out of the way, the whole issue needs to be addressed. The music industry is a total mess! The powers that be decided to dump the whole digital download to Apple and the iPod. But $1 per song isn't bad for 10 songs a year, and a lot of people sign up for it. Then one month they are really bored, and end up downloading 50-60 songs. BAM! A $60 bill on their credit card. This would piss off a Saint! And this person will wise up and start looking for alternative (usually illegal) ways to acquire this music. And the music industry gives you the guilt trip. If they didn't charge so much in the first place, there wouldn't be a problem.
The other thing that is stupid is the long release cycles with music. The Springsteen album was announced on August 16 for a release date of October 2. Why do they need a month and a half to get this out? I could see something like a press release on August 16 for a release on September 2. To pack and ship, 2 weeks is reasonable. Or maybe, and it will be available for download purchase on Monday...
But no, the music industry strings it out so long, and those of us who really want it, get it early. Get with the 21st Century. This is a 24/7 society and the media industries need to get it straight.
I'll get off my soapbox now.

Aerosmith Tix...SUCESS!!!

Over the past couple of weeks I contacted sellers of Aerosmith tickets on eBay. You can see the response below from one such seller. Most thought their tickets were worth a lot more then face value. In reality though; while I really like Aerosmith, they are NOT a $100 band. Very few are, but many think they are. So I waited them out and ended up with a couple of decent seats (as you can see in the picture) for less then half of face value.
The face value on the ticket is $125 + $15 fees + $6 for parking. So these tickets oringinally cost someone over $290 for the pair. Today I purchased the pair for $120. Slightly more then I wanted to pay, but I am satisfied with what I got. The Donk and I plan to enjoy ourselves very much Sunday night!
Now I just need to find the guy who was trying to sell the other set of tickets...

Magic Review

Magic Review

When I hear a new song or album by Bruce Springsteen, I look beyond the song itself and start to imagine how it will be performed live in concert. IMHO, a new album is an excuse to tour. And with the tour I look at how other songs will be played with the new material. In this context I write the review of Magic to be released on October 2, 2007.

First, an overview of the album. Magic is basically a social commentary, a picture of society in 2007. This isn’t a Born in the USA type of rocker, with fist pumping songs to scream to. Bruce is at the stage of his career where he is more of the elder statesmen of rock and roll, not the junior congressman from New Jersey. But that doesn’t mean he has lost his ability to write about relevant feelings in these here United States of those that are down and out or cast off by society.

Now I’ll run through each song as I see it.

Radio Nowhere - The title sums it up. This song is about the lack of good music on the radio.

You'll Be Comin' Down – Good song. I can see this one being a ‘get your ass out of that seat’ kind of song during mid-set, maybe coming off of several slow songs.

Livin' in the Future – And the rockers keep on comin’! This will be the new ‘Sunny Day’ song for this tour, where the crowd is singing along and everyone is feeling good.

Your Own Worst Enemy – Well, they all can’t be rockers, or for that matter, winners. Not real sure what it is about, maybe a Big Brother kind of complex. I hope we don’t hear this one every night.

Gypsy Biker – The premise of this song is that a famous athlete dies, and his buddies pay homage to him in a ceremony where they take his motorcycle out and burn it. This may sound a little corny, but I can see where it would be important. This is a big picture type of song with stunning imagery. It also has a great set of instrument solos, harmony in the vocals, and end of song chanting for the crowd to get into it. In short, best song on the album.

Girls in Their Summer Clothes – Great title for a song, everyone can imagine this. Unfortunately, the upbeat ends with the title. This song is about a character (Bill) kind of down on his luck, maybe unemployed, and you experience his day as he goes about his business around town. Slow pacing, and kind of wordy. A little work on this song could have made it worthy of the title.

I'll Work for Your Love – At first I wasn’t sure of this song. But after a couple plays, I realized that it is a hymnal. In the tradition of many church hymnals, this song discusses sacrifice for the love of another and uses a lot of Christian imagery. In fact at one point, it sounds like a recorder (the flute like instrument) playing, which is often used in conjunction with church choir.

Magic – Statement on society as a whole. This song describes how you are lead to believe what someone else wants you to, not necessarily what is reality. The line, “Trust none of what you hear and only part of what you see”, sums up the song. The song conveys the feeling that the media show what they want you to see, not what is really happening.

Last to Die – This is in the vain of Seeds and some Devils and Dust. This is a commentary of our society of how those in power make decisions that the under-class must live with. But it doesn’t really go anywhere. The lyrics are kind of all over. Maybe some work with the band and it will work.

Long Walk Home – The first version I heard from the Sessions tour wasn’t much, but that’s the Magic of production. This song is kind of My Hometown that the character moved back to. Forget all the problems of 25 years ago, and realize where you are from. This song has grown on me and is one of my favorites of the CD.

Devil's Arcade – It seems like when Bruce refers to ‘the devil’ he is referencing George Bush (Devils and Dust was a testament to this). This song is no exception. I can see this piece being the final song of the main show (before encores). The marching type beat reminds me of Into the Fire from The Rising. Used in concert the same.

Terry’s Song – This is will be a ‘secret’ track on the released CD. Earlier this year, Bruce’s friend of over 35 years, Terry Magovern, died in his sleep. This song is a tribute to him. And like a lot of songs from one guy to another, it speaks from the heart without being overly sappy. I give it a thumbs up and I can see where a lot of men will dedicate it to their friends that pass.

In Summary: This is a very good CD. Possibly one the best work Bruce has done since Tunnel of Love. I think a lot of songs on this release will have legs for years to come and become instant fan favorites.

Since ratings are needed now a day; as it compares to other Springsteen CDs: B+

Compared to other music CDs: A-

Looking for Aerosmith Tix (part 1???)

Donk and I want to see the Aerosmith show at Nissan Pavilion. As I did with the Def Leppard tickets, I have contacted some of the many sellers on E-Bay who have 0 bids. Usually they either acknowledge my offer or not, and are on their way.

This one particular seller decided that I needed to be schooled. He's gonna school me on how ticket buying works! So this is the e-mail exchange:

ME: Hello,If things don't work out with your minimum bid, here is my offer. I will give you $100 for the pair. Please let me know. Thank You, Mike

Seller: At the show I could get $200 for these tickets with no VIP passes even if I were trying to sell them from the back of a police car, naked, with a spider web tattoo on my bald head. L8

ME: Good luck on selling them at that price. Aerosmith is not a $100 band. Be sure to take some peanut butter, because you might be eating those seats.

Seller: You are right, they are a $200 dollar band.I sold the other pair for $325. And just got a hit on Craigs list (which of course might fall through) for $320 for the other two. I hate peanut butter I only eat tickets with caviar. They are absolutely $200 dollar tickets and if you don't think so you know nothing about ticket scalping - watch the listing, watch me work my magic. I will get at least $300 for tickets, maybe $400. [I do have some 300 level seats my buddy wants to get rid of, they are yours for $150] Plus another thing you dont understand....I am going to show with my VIP Tickets and VIP parking pass, I can eat these tickets with my friends, they will absolutely pay me $125 each (face value) of the ticket. Let me make this clear 2 YA --- I had a total of 6 tickets to start. My two VIPs with VIP parking pass and a Premier Parking pass, I sold the Premier parking pass for $50 on Craigs list [the premier parking pass you can buy at the show for $20 I sold for $50, but they are not $100 dollar tickets, think before you Write], I sold 2 of my 101 Row G with VIP passes for $325 and will be using my VIPS, this leaves me with those two tickets which I have paired with VIP Passes, If I dont get $350 for that pair I will take my friends to the show and they will pay me $250 and I will wash your car, But Mikey let me give you some advice...If someone has a buy it now best offer listing for $450 and you offer them $150, it is just plain stupid and does nothing but slow down the wheels of commerce. If I asking $450 I am obviously looking for an offer around $320...common sense... the girl who paid $325 was her first offer (she had common sense)...Use it.... I am so sick of E-bayers who have nothing better to do than make low offers then harrass the Seller, GET THEE A LIFE. I will send you all invoices with the buyers name removed after I sell these tickets I paid $270 for for at least $350. L8

Seller: Oh yeah I sold two VIP passes to show...no Tickets just passes for $95 to a guy in Cali. who was sending them to his daughter for her birthday...just passes for $95...and just a premier parking pass for $50...and these aren't $100 tickets...what planet are you from.

Guess he told me... I may stop by the seats he advertised and see how things worked out. By the way, face for this show is $125, which is WAY too much for this geezer band.