Double M’s Saturday Music News Report 12.26.09
Posted by Michael Melchor on 12.26.2009
This one’s “gonna be short and sloppy. You know, like childbirth.”
The views and opinions expressed herein are those solely of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the rest of the human race.
When the priest comes to read me the last rites, I take a look through the bars at the last sights of a world that has gone very wrong for me. Hey there and thanks for coming back. All three of you.
I'll warn you now – this was written, obviously, during Christmas week. Getting six kids ready for the holidays and spending the day in question driving a combined total of 300 miles, I had a lot to do this week. With all that in mind, this one's gonna be brief. In fact, I'd suggest not blinking.
That having been put out there, let's get this done...
Okay, This Is Boring – What Else Is There To Read?
Steven Tyler apparently spent the holidays in rehab, fighting with an addiction to painkillers from injuries sustained over the last decade from performing.
The easy joke to be made here is, "That would explain all the drama he and the band had with each other a couple of months ago." But then, it sinks in...it really would explain all the drama he and the band had with each other a couple of months ago.
No, not in a "Oh, I get it – Tyler was high off his ass the whole time" sense. More like, if he was addicted to painkillers because he was hurt...and he needed a break...and the band didn't understand why he wanted some time off because he didn't want to explain that he had become an addict...then it all makes perfect sense. Okay, except for the "Brand Tyler" remark. That one, you got me.
Tyler says now that, " I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain and am eager to be back on the stage and in the recording studio with my bandmates". Sounds to me like, now that he has his head on a little straighter and is overcoming the addiction, that he's Back In The Saddle again. So, we can probably put the Aerosmith controversy to rest now.
Steven Tyler descends to the stage seated at his piano. Somewhere, Shawn Michaels is jealous as hell.
MCA has announced that he is "doing okay" after battling an unusual form of throat cancer and that the Beastie's new album, The Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 should be out early next year.
Not much to say here, bit 1) VERY glad to hear that Yauch is doing a lot better, and 2) I'd much rather hear a new Beastie's album than hear that one of them has left us entirely too soon. There's a lot to be said for good news, although very little usually is.
Beastie Boys + Kerry King = awesome. Head rolling on the stage = added bonus!
Warned yeh this was gonna be short...
Finally, following up from last week's coverage of "Rage Against The Machine vs. The X Factor For Christmas"...Rage wins! Rage wins! Rage wins!
I would roast marshmallows and sing "Kum-ba-yah" in celebration of real music (read: music that was written from the heart that makes a statement rather than written and produced for purely commercial interests), but Tom Morello beat me to it:
Rage Against the Machine is honored to have been drafted by this historic grassroots campaign to make our song ‘Killing in the Name' the No. 1 song on the UK Christmas Week pop chart. This is a huge victory by and for fans of real music and we extend our heartfelt thanks to every fan and freedom fighter who helped make our anthem of defiance and rebellion the Anarchy Christmas Miracle of 2009...We are also pleased that so much money has been raised for homeless charity Shelter and are happy to donate as well to aid this important cause. While there are many lessons that can be drawn from this historic upset, the main one is this: that ordinary people, banding together in solidarity, can change ANYTHING, be it the pop charts or the world.
Do I have to state the obvious lesson here, kids? To some, I probably do, as some sore losers are throwing out that the whole thing was a big conspiracy for Sony Music to have two songs in the top 2 spots.
Your thoughts on that, Tom?
That's the most ridiculous thing! I couldn't even get a return email from Sony UK. I was like, 'Are we still on your label? Something's happening over there' and nobody hit me back.
Like I said, sore losers. Just admit that your show sucks and your force-feeding the world culture what your corporation wants us to buy doesn't always take with us.
Do that in a mirror...LOSER!
As a footnote, though, Susan Boyle's I Dreamed A Dream is now the second-best selling album of 2009 after a mere four weeks of release – and it's within striking distance of the mighty Taylor Swift. Like any good comic book villain, not only will "The X Factor" strike again, its plans to do so are already in motion.
Happy Trails
Thanks for hanging in with me and I'm sorry this one was so brief. Next week will be longer and more in-depth. Much to your chagrin.
