All posts by Kevin

Cease and desist update: A small victory

We appear to have reached an ending (a happy one, at that) on this matter.

After I wrote the IFPI last week, stating (among other things) that Travis singer Fran Healy, as one of the four copyright holders, gave me his blessing to post the song, J. Smith, I received this letter today via e-mail.

Dear Kevin,

IFPI was contacted by a member of the label who confirmed you were given permission to post the file on your site.

We were unaware of this agreement but now that it has been notified to us please feel free to upload the file.

Due to the volume of infringing content we find online there will be instances where legitimate files are picked up as infringing. We hope this matter shows that once we have the correct information we do not want to stop the promotion of music online.

Regards,
Notices Department

There you have it. Quite a backhanded stab at an apology, eh?

Whatever, I feel fairly vindicated in this matter and I can’t thank Travis and singer Fran Healy enough for answering my MySpace message and giving me his permission to post this song. Please visit the band’s Web site or MySpace and show some love. I already considered myself a huge Travis fan; this situation only reinforced my faith in their music/message.

Lastly, take 30 seconds to download this track, not only for the satisfaction of this small victory but also because it’s another fine addition to the Travis catalog.

Thanks.

Trunk Federation: Winnie 7-inch

Another record swap meet came and went on Saturday, which can only mean I spent far too much money adding to a vinyl collection whose weight I will curse if I ever have to move it.

Nevertheless, I’d call Saturday’s haul a success. Included in the bunch (list below) was a 7-inch by former Phoenix band Trunk Federation, whom I’ve written about before here and here. If I were you, I’d do my best to track down Trunk Federation’s 1998 record The Curse of Miss Kitty.

Anyway, this 7-inch (for low price of $3!) is called Winnie, and credits show it was recorded in the fall of 1994. Holy moses: That was 14 years ago. Doesn’t matter: Trunk Federation’s unorthodox pop probably would be better appreciated in these times than in the early ’90s.

Here’s the tracks converted from the vinyl:

  • Side A: Trunk Federation | Beanie’s Soft Toy Factory
  • Side B: Trunk Federation | Jello

Also purchased at the record swap meet (all 45s … Side A / Side B):

Salt-N-Pepa: Push It (remix) – same both sides; label says ‘Side A’ on both sides.
Fred Wesley and the JB’s: Doing it to Death / Everybody Got Soul
Harry Nilsson: Coconut / Down
The Turtles: You Showed Me / Buzz Saw (picture sleeve … Buzz Saw sampled awesomely/famously here)
Cat Stevens: Morning Has Broken / I Want to Live in a Wigwam
Ike and Tina Turner: Please, Please, Please Pt. 1 / Pt. 2
a-ha: Take On Me / Love is Reason (picture sleeve! with story board pages like the video!)

People Under the Stairs: The Om Years

I really need to pay better attention to the weekly Tuesday release lists because it’s inevitable I’ll miss something like the jam-packed goodness of People Under the Stairs’ The Om Years collection, which came out this past week.

Granted, “the Om Years” lasted for just three records and various singles. But great records they are from Double K and Thes One, who are planning to release their sixth album, Fun DMC, in September on Gold Dust Media.

Of course, I’m never sure what to make of best-of collections – a throwaway contract obligation usually is my first thought. “Hey, here’s all the songs you already have plus one more! Buy it again, won’t you?” Weak. At least PUTS’ The Om Years (available on eMusic) comes with a second disc full of B-sides and rarities. Emusic even separates the discs into separate album downloads so you can just snag the second disc if you already own the released goods (I do).

And if you don’t own anything by People Under the Stairs, this is a fine way to introduce yourself. These guys are the epitome of California cool – laid-back beats and verses that celebrate the mellow side of West Coast living and obsessive crate digging.

Stream the The Om Years collection here.

  • People Under the Stairs | Big Daddy Brown

(From B-sides/rarities side)

  • People Under the Stairs | Youth Explosion

(From first disc and originally from Question in the Form of an Answer)

Cease and Desist update

Thanks to everyone who commented and offered advice regarding my cease and desist letter from a Travis song I posted.

People sure do love to hate the RIAA, IFPI and record labels. My post was linked at numerous spots: Tech Scoop, Tech Dirt and this other site written in Italianwhat I think is Spanish (any translators out there?). Nice to see everyone fighting the good fight. Thanks for the exposure (and hopefully Travis gets a push out of this).

I wrote the IFPI back (again) regarding this situation yesterday with some of your advice from the comments. I have not heard back yet, but when/if I do, I’ll post the response.

Thanks again.

Public Enemy: Rebel Without a Pause at Pitchfork

I feel a little less peeved about not being able to make it to Chicago this year for the Pitchfork Festival now that the blossoming media conglomerate is offering high-quality videos taken from its live feed of the event.

Man, I wish Public Enemy, performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, would take this show on the road … um, well, not that they’d really want to ever come back to Arizona.

This looks just awesome, even if Flavor Flav is just a caricature of himself … whatever that self used to be.

New Murs and 9th Wonder: Sweet Lord

URB drops the news of an upcoming (free?) Murs and 9th Wonder record called Sweet Lord.

That’s some smart marketing by Murs, whose major-label debut, Murs for President, drops (allegedly) in late September. Judging on a few of the comments after I posted the lead single off that album, y’all might be happier with this 9th Wonder collab.

Murs keeps it real for all you gearheads: “I hear you talkin’, I hear you fools / ’cause we left Cool Edit and switched to Pro Tools.

UPDATE: Get the full album for free at mursand9thwonder.com (Thanks, Chris).

  • Murs and 9th Wonder | Sweet Lord (the intro)

Stinkweeds’ Top 10: July 15-22

Here’s the top sellers at Stinkweeds for the week of July 15-22.

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1. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive (Vagrant)
2. Beck – Modern Guilt (DGC)
3. Sigur Ros – Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (XL)
4. Fleet Foxes – s/t (Sub Pop) // MP3: White Winter Hymnal
5. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop) // MP3: Language City
6. Melvins – Nude With Boots (Ipecac)
7. Hercules and Love Affair – s/t (DFA)
8. Daedelus – Love to Make Music To (Ninja Tune) // MP3: Touchtone
9. Earlimart – Hymn and Her (Shout Factory) // MP3: Song For
10. Patti Smith/Kevin Shields – Coral Sea (Pask)

ALSO: If you’re interested in picking up either the Fleet Foxes ($7.99) or Wolf Parade album ($5.99), check out Amazon’s sale on the Sub Pop catalog. (FYI, that is not a commissioned link, so click away!)