Disco Biscuits on NPR's World Cafe

Not really a fan of their new album but check out the Bisco interview on NPR's World Cafe

Pretty neato I spose': Check it out HERE.

Also the Bisco Power Mission seems like a great idea and I'm glad the band and Brownstein's HeadCount are supporting alternative energy.

Record Store Day 2010

Today, Saturday April 17th, 2010 is the 3rd annual Record Store Day. Get out to the participating independent record stores and help support!

Check out this interview with Record Store Day's co-founder Eric Levin.

Happy Record Store Day!

Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah Interview

One of my favorite hip hop group's, Philly's own Jedi Mind Tricks. Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah interviewed in the Netherlands. Really good stuff, check it out if you've got the time.




Thanks Nah Right

'94 Phish Interview

Classy.


Part1


Part2(intro part is the same but it really is the second part).


Down with Disease

James Brown Interview

The other night when I went to see The Duke and The King, one of the guys in the band made some sort of joke about this interview with James Brown. It's hilarious, check it out.

Jay Z on Real Time with Bill Maher

Jay is the man. Check out his interview with Bill Maher HERE. If you can't watch the whole thing at least check out some of it (it's all pretty great though).



Also, it's been out for a bit but if you haven't seen the video for Jay's new song "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna & Kanye West, check that out HERE. Awesome song, awesome video. Get em!

New Radiohead in the Works?

Yahoooo! I can't say that I'm not excited:

Radiohead have started working on the follow up to their 2007 album In Rainbows. Bassist Colin Greenwood told 6 Music the Oxford band have been busy in the studio over the last week with producer Nigel Godrich. "It was very noisy and chaotic and really fun," he said. "It’s at the stage where we’ve got the big Lego box out and we’ve tipped it out on the floor and we're just looking at all the bits and thinking what’s next?"

"I'm very impressed and grateful for Nigel our producer and his ability to make it all sound vaguely plausible," he added. Greenwood, who was speaking at the Great Escape music festival in Brighton, where he was helping to launch a new music journal called Loops, gave no indication as to when the Oxford five-piece will be releasing their next record or whether they will be briging it out in a similar format to their last LP.

"It's at the stage where we've got the big Lego box out and we've tipped it on the floor." Colin Greenwood on Radiohead's new album. Last time, Radiohead offered fans the chance to choose how much they were prepared to pay for In Rainbows.

"We were just saying to people how much do you think we're worth?" he added.

"It's like a long term relationship and it was great because it kicked off lots of debate about it." The band have just finished touring with electro pioneers Kraftwerk in South America which Greenwood described as a "brilliant experience".

"They are one of our musical heroes and it was a real privilege to share a stage with them," he enthused.

"What I like about Kraftwerk is I obviously love the beats but I love their melodies too. They seep into your brain and stay there."

The five-piece are due to headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals this summer for a headline show where they have some unfinished business.

"It was a bit frustrating when we were playing some of our own shows last year because it was light for the first half hour, 40 minutes of the show," Greenwood said.

"So we wanted to do it as it was meant to be seen – darker and louder."

- (Jo Youle from BBC 6 Music)

A Brief Interview

This afternoon I made my way down to the Old City section of Philadelphia where I had the opportunity to chat with Mike, the owner of AKA Music. In between the many phone calls he received during the time I was there (he was in the middle of working), Mike was nice enough to let me ask him a few questions about music, the business, and some other miscellaneous things. Here is the transcription of both my questions and his answers:

Q: How is business now as apposed to 5 or 10 years ago?
A: It's still good. We are a niche operation that caters to the "music enthusiast". Mostly people looking for more independent artists and bands.

Q: What is currently popular/selling?
A: Right now: Beruit, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (All mostly independent artists)

Q: Is the music industry at fault for the decline in overall album sales?
A: Yes. They are just looking for big hits and aren't interested in developing an artist's career.

Q: Do you think radio is dying out?
A: I can't say I really even listen to it. Some college stations are okay, but popular radio is awful. It's all programmed and they don't take any chances.

Q: Who are some of your favorite new artists?
A: I don't listen to too many but a few of them are: Intrusion (minimalist-electronic) Matthew Shipp (jazz) and Zombi ( kind of like early Kraftwerk)

Q: Do you think the CD will ever "die" ?
A: You mean the physical CD? no I don't think it will.

Q: When you listen to music, are you more about lyrics or the instrumentation?
A: Music first

Q: What do you think about rap music?
A: I like some of it, more of the underground stuff.
Q: Because you are more instrumentals first?
A: Exactly. Also it depends on what music it's sampled from and how sharp that is.
Q: Is there anybody in particular?
A: Yesterday's New Quintet, they haven't anything in a while but have done some different side projects and things.

Q: What is one of your favorite albums of all time?
A: Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers"

Q: What was the last concert you went to?
A: Jon Hassell

Q: Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison?
A: Hendrix, easily.

Q: What are some keys to success in this industry? Whether you are starting a band, label, business, or whatever. Is there anything that could help you across the board in all of them?
A: Persistence and the first person you need to sell that to is yourself.

Our conversation ended as I thanked Mike for his time and honest answers. I'm glad I got to talk with him a bit and I'm sure I will make my way back to AKA in the future.