Music Worth Buying for Free 05/27/09

There are lots of free tracks out there.....But which ones are good? Here some picks that I can recommend. 

Remember free tracks don't always stay free forever. Get em' while they are free. 

  Check out Sugarfoot by  Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
These guys are channeling James Brown in the best possible way so get it by clicking here!

 

 

Seasons
by The Veer Union
Hi Energy modern hard rock! click here to get it

 

 

In My Time Of Dyin'
by  The Lovell Sisters
From the Album Time To Growrs

 A cool old school style country version of the Zeppelin classic! GET IT HERE

 

Mind Idea
by Jeremy Enigk
From the Album OK Bear

 some very cool atmospheric rock. If you like Coldplay, You will like this

 



Sea
by Jeff Bujak
From the Album Alive Like The Spine

An 11 minute instrumental mix of pop/jazz and latin. Get it here!

Walk On By
by Norman Connors
From the Album Shanachie: Cool Urban Jazz
Hard to go wrong when you are covering a classic This version is mostly faithful with jazz stylings get it here! 

 

What Have You Done
by Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens
From the Album What Have You Done, My Brother?

Amazing retro style blues/soul from the label that brought us Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings you HAVE to get this!

 

Back On The MF Street
by Disco Ensemble
From the Album Back On The MF Street

There is nothing disco about this band. This high energy modern rock verging on punk. I just gotta love a band that has lyrics that say: 

We came to spoil it for everyone

We're came to crack off your noses

Where here to spoil it for everyone

Where here to annihilate all fun!!!!

GET IT HERE!

REMEBER: Musicians have bills to pay too. Enjoy these free authorized tracks but if you like these artist and want their albums, pay for them legally and show your support. 

Thank You 

Signing Bad Contracts

Posted below is a real contract that local venue (A Restaurant in Dana Point CA) wanted to me to sign. I didn't sign this contract. I will be giving some running commentary as to why throughout.

Prior to booking this gig, I had already played a previous date there. No contract was given to me at that time.

I was emailed this contract a day before the gig (which had already been booked for a month). This contract was for a cover gig. Getting a contract is not unusual although most venues that hire me to play cover gigs don't use them. When the email came in, I figured it would be standard contract, but there was nothing standard about it.

Like any struggling musician, I needed the money so I was sorry to say no to the gig.....But I needed to be pushed around a lot less. 

 

 

CONTRACT FOR SERVICES

 

This agreement contracts TJR to provide entertainment as an independent contractor at The XXXXXX Restaruant.  The evening of engagement is May Xth, 2009. 

 

TJR will begin performing at 8:00 P.M. and continue untill at least 12:00 A.M. in the event there are still customers in the lounge or at the bar TJR will continue playing until 12:30 A.M.  

 

OK. First of all the agreed upon time was 8-12 midnight. If you suddenly decide you want me to play longer I need to be compensated for the additional time.

 

Basically they are trying to get something for nothing. And who will decide that there are enough  customers to keep playing?  How many customers will determine this.  Nowhere does it say that if I play longer I will get any extra pay for it. 

 

TJR can take breaks at the time of his own choosing.  However, the final set must always be in progress no later than 10:45 P.M. Breaks shall not exceed 15 minutes. In the event TJR elects to do a two (2) show program, he can take one (1) break that lasts 30 minutes.

 

My schedule is standard for every cover gig I play. I start at the top of the hour with a 45 minute set and take a 15 minute break in between each set.

This is what I did at the last gig. I am usually flexible with this depending on the audience. But 45/15 is the standard.

Payment for services will be computed in the following manner: TJR will be paid $XXX.00 or 15% (whichever is greater) of beverage sales in the lounge generated after entertainment begins.

 

Payment for services will be made on the Monday following the engagement.

 

TJR will be eligible for employee prices for food and beverages.  Further, if he wishes to charge his purchases, then those amounts will be deducted from his paycheck.

 

 

OK. Nothing to odd about this, but nothing generous either. I never ordered anything from them the last time except a glass of water. But most cover gig venues feed their musicians on the house. 

 

Equipment set-up must be completed by 4:30 pm and breakdown by noon the following day.  When setting up or breaking down, vehicles can not block the drive-through in front of the restaurant.

 

OK, this is where it gets ridiculous. I live about 45 minutes (in good traffic) from this place. My start time is 8 PM. They want me to leave at 3:00 PM for a gig that starts at 8 PM, to set up my PA (which takes 30 minutes to do) and then twiddle my thumbs for 3 AND A HALF HOURS with no compensation. Do they think I am going to go drive another 45 minutes to back home and then come back? 

This was utterly insane. And I have never blocked their drive through in front of the restaurant. I park in the closest available parking and carry my gear in on a cart. 

That last part about breakdown being completed by noon the next day is even more ridiculous. Do they expect me (at the end of the night) to just leave my expensive musical gear in their establishment, go home and then drive back the next morning to pack it up and take it home? Why? ......Maybe I am mis-interpreting this last part and maybe they think they are doing me a favor by letting me come in the next day to take my gear back.......But once again.....WHY? 

At all times TJR will cooperate and comply with management at XXXXXX especially with regard to length of breaks and volume levels of his entertainment.  Any variations from this contract must first be approved by XXXXXX XXXXXXX.

I always cooperate with mgmt. I always personally go to them before a gig tell them to communicate with me if I am ever too loud or not loud enough. 

In the event of a breach of this agreement by either party and it becomes necessary for the party aggrieved to institute legal proceedings. then the prevailing party shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for reasonable legal fees from the non-prevailing party.

 

 

So there you have it. After that, there is just the places where I am supposed to sign. I am sure that there are some worse contract by record labels 

Would any other musicians like to share any bad/ridiculous contract stories?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TJR reviews: Yusuf (Cat Stevens) Another Cup & Roadsinger / Music Worth Buying 05/18/09

Artist: Yusef (Cat Stevens)



Albums: Another Cup and Roadsinger

Worth Buying: Absolutely

You will be interested in these albums if you are fan of: Soft Rock of the 70's / Folk rock / and Cat Stevens.

Tell Me More: Prior to these albums, I was only familiar with the hits of the Artist formerly know as Cat Stevens. I was not familiar with his albums at all.

I knew that he became a huge pop star in the 70s (Back when being a pop star could mean that you could also be a musician and a songwriter and actually have a musical point of view that was your own, and not the vision of your producer and or production team).

I knew that he left it all behind when he converted to the islamic faith. He sold his instruments, asked his record label to stop releasing his albums (they refused). To me, He seemed to be unable to reconcile a life of religious faith with the life of an artist.

I knew that he was involved in a controversy regarding the publication of a certain book for having said some inflammatory things about the author. This controversy still follows him, so on his website he gives his own account of how he feels he was mis-characterized by the media 

So being only familiar with his hits, why did I pick up his return to the world of Pop music (Another Cup) in 2006 and his most receent release Roadsinger.

Well,.....I was curious.

What kind of music would he make after all this time. Would he still have his musical and songwriting chops? Would this be the return of Cat Stevens (under the name Yusef) Or would it be a musical preaching of the Islamic faith?

Another Cup turned out to be a musical breath of fresh air. Even though this album was released under the name of Yusuf, it sonicly it sounded like the Cat Stevens of the 70's stepped into a time machine, came out in the year 2006 and recorded a new album. He showed no Age or deterioration of his voice, his musicianship, or his ability to write good songs.

Lyricly he wrote about simple and universal themes. In the song Midday, he wrote about the enjoyment of watching children at play

I like to take a walk out in the midday 
checking life out in the park 
I like to take a walk out in the midday 
Ah, but I avoid the city after dark 

Oh, I love to see the children playing in the rain 
Splashing boots and kicking mud 
Oh, I love to see the kids playing in the rain 
Ah, but I avoid the city after dark. 

In the song Heaven/Where True love goes, he write about his wife.

The moment you walked inside my door 
I knew that I need not look no more, 
I've seen many other souls before - ah but, 
Heaven must've programmed you 

The moment you fell inside my dreams 
I realized all I had not seen, 
I've seen many other souls before - ah but, 
Heaven must've programmed you. 

Oh will you? Will you? Will you? 
I go where True Love goes, 
I go where True Love goes 

In the song I think I see the Light, I might I might have been fooled by the title into thinking that it is a religous song. Instead he sings again about his wife

I used to trust nobody, trusting even less their words, 
Until I found somebody, there was no one I preferred, 
My heart was made of stone, my eyes saw only misty grey, 
Until you came into my life girl, I saw everyone that way. 
Until I found the one I needed at my side, 
I think I would have been a sad man all my life. 

I think I see the light coming to me, 
Coming through me giving me a second sight. 
So shine, shine, shine, 

And any spiritual messages in these new songs where of such a universal nature that they could be appreciated by anyone......But spiritual messages or no, I just can't argue with good songs. And these are good songs.

Personally I have little use for organized religion in my own life (This is not to say that I don't consider myself to be spiritual, don't believe in a God, and don't believe in prayer, because I do). I am generally not a fan of Christian Rock since I feel most of it is often too heavy handed, to preachy, and that the message comes before the song. But when I hear great songs by an Evangelical Christian artist like Larry Norman, or Spiritual song Celebrating Krishna by George Harrison, my reaction is that they are great and enjoyable songs first and that they share the authors feelings and beliefs in an honest way rather than preach at me.

Also of note (And what is an obvious statement about how he feels the media has mis-characterized him) is an astounding cover of the Animals song "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood".

Fast forward to May 09 and He has released 2nd album as Yusuf entitled Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night). When I first imported this CD into my ipod the first thing I noticed was that Another Cup just listed him simply as Yusuf.

Roadsinger listed him as Yusuf (Cat Stevens). In fact the art and photos for the CDs booklet featured many visual references to his former name.

The cynic in me might say, I guess he realized he had to do this if he wanted the album to sell. But to be honest, as I listed to the songs on this album, all I could hear was a man who had found a reconciliation between his artistic and spiritual self.

The music video for this song even further illustrates this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfgdqk0QXm0

As do the lyrics to the song Welcome Home  

Saw a sign on the path, 
All seekers this way. 
A very subtle left, 
Through a petal my way. 
As I neared the bridge 
Two soldiers stood and stared, 
"No one passes by us.....But hey....."You're welcome here." 

Carried on down the road, 
To the marketplace. 
I was still alone, 
No one knew my face. 
Then a stranger sang, 
With voice like the wind. 
Then the hails began to sing, 
"Welcome in." 

Time rolls on, 
Ain't no good to sit alone 
Time rolls on, 
And so we traveled on. 

Never did I imagine, 
What a dawn could be. 
Till I opened my eyes, to see. 
It was welcoming me. 

At the end of my days, 
On my way home. 
I paused a while to gaze, 
Upon the sacred stone. 
There I stood in the middle, 
Of the holy domain. 
Then the people came out to say, 
"Welcome home, again." 

Time rolls on, 

And so we carry on. 
Time rolls on, 
Ain't no good to sit alone. 

In Another Cup Yusef reconciles his artistic and spiritual selves. With Roadsinger he re-embraces Cat Stevens and shows us that Yusus and Cat Stevens are one and the same.  These are both really good albums and I enjoy them equally. It is also great to hear absolutely no diminishment of musical prowress from this man who is in his 60's now (disproving that mainstream music industries belief that youth is more important than talent). I still haven't listened to those older Cat Steven's albums, but I think I will start.

What about the Packaging? Both are packaged in standard jewel cases but have very nice booklets. I just with that the Roadsinger Cd had included all the lyrics.

Yusuf has also posted an FAQ to help those of you who might be under the mistaken impression that he hates America (He lives in London by the way) or that he wants to kill people, or any other mistaken impressions that my follow him.

Listen to samples of Another Cup in Mp3 format here

Another Cup in CD format

listen to samples and buy Roadsinger in mp3 format here

For a dollar more you can get it in CD format

BONUS: Check out the music video for Roadsinger here

Singles Worth Buying / Jody Whitesides / Hero Unexpected / 05/18/09

 

 

LA based Singer Songwriter Jody Whitesides has written and recorded a Heroes theme. I have no idea if we will hear this song on the TV show or not, but it's cool bit of modern Rock that I think (Insert Hanz and Franz accent) "Will pump you up". 

get Hero Unexpected on amazon here

Get it on itunes here

BONUS:  It would seem that he has also issued a challange:  Stating that if he gets 10,000 twitter followers by August 12th of 2009, he will go doorbell ditch Ashton Kutcher 

Fooling Bono

 

 

 

It's been a while since I had a music related dream that featured a famous co-star

I had this dream on monday night on 05/11/09. 

 

I dreamed I was at a party. U2 was there and so was Comedian Robin Williams.

Robin Williams walks up to me and asks me how good my Irish accent is. I tell him I am terrible at it. He says that that is better than him, and he tells me that he wants me to take part in a harmless prank.

He wants me to dress up as Bono (he has an outfit, a hat and some glasses). He tells me that Bono is outside, and he will be walking up to the house and that it will be very dark out (which is why I guess he feels the disguise will work). The joke is that I will go to Bono and tell him that I am Bono from the future. I am going to warn him of the music industries imminent collapse and advise him that the only way to keep his band on the charts is to switch to heavy metal music.

I think it's a good gag too, So I go along with it. Once disguised I go out and confront Bono. Bono smiles in amusement and thinks the gag is pretty funny too.

Suddenly, I am holding a press conference as the fake Bono. I am telling the press about U2's plans to switch to Heavy Metal. The press is totally buying into it.

Bono is there too and he is astounded that none of the press see through my disguise. At one point he asks them "Haven't you noticed how fake is accent is"?

The press is clueless to what he is implying and completely ignores him.

Can Vinyl Save The Music?

The other week I talked to my mailing list about whether or not I should still make CDs

 

I asked: Will the CD cease to be?

 

5 years ago I said NO.

 

I predicted that the CD would decline in sales (It has)

 

That digital downloads would increase (they have).

 

I predicted that in time the CD would become a botique item with special packaging and that it would be limited in number.

 

This is certainly evidence that this is starting to happen. A lot of major artists are co-releasing deluxe editions alongside a standard edition.

 

Sometimes it is the simple difference between a CD version and CD/DVD version as with Neil Young's Fork in the Road CD.

 

But some artists have released their new albums in everything from standard CD to huge specialty packages ranging from 100 to 300 dollars and very limited in number.

 

Now my prediction was that these limited edition packages would start becoming collectible. That they would go up in value and start selling for more than what was originally paid for them and that this collecitbility would fule more sales and more artists releasing limited edition versions.

 

Now only time will tell if this happens or not, but one thing I didn't see coming is the continual growth and re-emergence of Vinyl.

 

Vinyl sales are growing, the production of vinyl players is growing, Many top selling artists are releasing vinyl versions of their latest releases and, Best Buy (one of the last few major chains in the US still carrying a decent selection) is carrying vinyl now too.

 

So I started to wonder....Could Vinyl save the music industry?

 

Right now vinyl is expensive, because production is so limited. Only a huge re-surgence would bring the prices down.

 

But could vinyl gain a kind of mainstream hipness/coolness that would accomplish this?

 

Could people start to re-discover the warmth of analog sound? Could we re-disover the tactile experience of vinyl packaging?

 

And could it happen on a large mainstream scale?

 

Current vinyl releases are $19.99 a pop? But part of this is because it takes 2 discs to hold what one CD now holds.

 

Could a shorter and single vinyl release be sold for only $9.99 then?

 

I have always felt that too many CDs where too long on tracks and not long enough on quality. In other words, just because you have room for 18 tracks, doesn't mean you should have 18 tracks.

 

Back in the days of Vinyl, albums where shorter. I think this shorter format required a lot of fat trimming so that only the best tracks made it on the album. Today we live in a world of shorter attention spans and way more distractions. So maybe now more than ever, shorter albums are needed.

 

Most of the current vinyl releases offer a free mp3 version of the album, which is smart, and creates goodwill to the consumer since you can't play vinyl in your car. Personally I think it should come with the CD in a plain envelope. This way you have a permanent high quality wave file.

 

But iregardless of their being a CD or mp3 inlcuded. If you buy vinyl you are going to play it. And you can't play it in your car, so you are going to play it in your home.

 

I feel that a large part of society has forgotten how to listen (really listen) to music. Part of this has been the promotion of generic artists over artists of substance by the industry and our media.

 

But could vinyl make us start to listen (really listen) again?......You know what I mean?........Put the vinyl on the turntable, open up the lyrics booklet and start listening the album like you watch a movie.

 

All the record industry would need to do then is give customers music that is worth listening too and therefore worth buying.

TJR Reviews Beck "One Foot In the Grave" (Expanded Edition) Music Worth Buying 05/05/09

Artist: Beck

Album: One Foot In The Grave (Expanded Edition)

Worth Buying: Yes if you are a fan of: Beck,  and maybe yes even if you are not a Beck fan, but like traditional blues and folk.

You will be interested in this album if you are a fan of: Blues, Folk, Surrealism, Alt Rock. 

 

Tell Me More: Before Beck released his Debut Major Label album Mellow Gold, Before his hit single The Loser her recorded One Foot in the Grave. OFITG was recorded for the indie K Records label, but was not released until after Mellow Gold. The album has long since been out of print. And it has now been re-released in an expanded deluxe edition.

 

OFITG can best be described as Beck's Blues/Folk album. In fact, songs like "He's A Mighty Good Leader" and "I have seen the Land beyond" sound like they could have been taken off of the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack. But make no mistake this is Beck, with all his usual

quirkiness, surrealism (whatever you want to call it that defines Beck) But even a song like Hallow Log sounds like pure Americana even with Beck's usual surreal lyrics.  But songs like Ziplock Bag with it's d-tuned distorted guitars and Beck's vocals distorted almost to the point of incoherence are the ones that challenge most non--Beck fans. I played this one for my songwriting partner Kathy and she grim iced and described it as disturbing (and not in a good way). This is Beck at his most bizarre. I like the song, but then I like Beck. I embrace even his most surreal musical visions. But I know that he is not for everyone. Still, though I think there is a lot to recommend even to non Beck fans. But this is Beck stripped down. If you need glossy production values, this album is not for you.

 

Is it worth buying if I already have the original release? 

I would says YES. When it was originally released OFITG it was only 16 tracks. This new expanded edition rounds the CD out to 32 tracks. A lot of times with remastered deluxe editions the newer tracks consist of a lot of alternate versions of songs you already have. Only two songs repeat themselves on this re-release, So you are basically getting a whole new album when you pay for this version. In fact, the consistency of the songwriting and production of these new tracks is such that it is like you are getting One Foot in the Grave Part II. Sometimes those "Previously unreleased" tracks you get with editions like these where better left unreleased. But these are all great songs. I especially liked Teenage Wastebasket.

 

She is a teenage wastebasket

Paddling up the river in a casket

Try and experience everything at least once

And life is a commercial for being fucked up

 

Also, the title track One Foot In The Grave is included with this new version. Previously this very traditional sounding blues song (with perhaps less then traditional lyrics) had only been released as a live track on his Stereopathic Soul Manure album.  

 

There's s dead hobo on the patio

And an old barbed wire on the funeral fire

Well, you roll out the carpet and it better be red

And it better be long cos the troubles in my head

Gonna be livin' one foot in the grave

 

 Well, I was sittin' at home cookin' up a steak

Satan came down dressed like a snake

Well, he called my name as I turned up the flames

And then I realized I was out of mayonnaise

Well, you been livin' one foot in the grave

 

 

What about the packaging? The CD comes in on of those mini gate-fold album sleeves. All 32 tracks are contained on one CD. You also get a very nicely designed booklet with lyrics. The booklet also has it's own fold out gate fold with pictures. All of the original K records release photos are reproduced but new photos have been included.

Listen and buy One Foot in the Grave in mp3 format

Get One Foot in the Grave on CD

What if I am not ready to buy the whole CD? 

Try He's A Mighty Good Leader or Forcefield