Music's 3R’s 01.07.12: DON DON DA!!!

Posted by Nick Krenn on 01.07.2012

From Kanye West's epic Twitter rant and the Black Keys blaming Nickelback for the death of rock to Feist covering Guns N' Roses, Lana Del Rey's modeling career and more, 411's Nick Krenn breaks down the Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous from the week in music!

Hello, I'm Nick Krenn, and I'm bringing you the newest edition of the most impolite 411mania column, Music 3R's, where I examine the Right, wRong, and Ridiculous in music, not to be confused with the excellent Love/Hate News Report written by John Downey. Make sure you read it to check out John's best albums of 2011. Also, be sure to read Chris Bell's column, 411 Music Ten Deep, where he discusses the best reissues of 2011. Nevermind what number one is. Both Chris and John write for Earbuddy.net, a music site that I run outside of 411mania. Be sure to check it out.

When I'm not disparaging the careers of mainstream musicians in this column, I'm writing 411mania's least appreciated column, Major Bands, Minor Labels. I've changed the format up from what I was doing. If you want to download some free tunes, I think you'll appreciate the changes.

I also want to implore my readers to check out iTunes new Match service. I began using it this week, and it's pretty damn good. It's especially necessary if you want to replace a lot of your low bitrate MP3s with 256kbps AAC files. Tech nerds will know what I'm talking about. Trust me, it makes a big difference if you ripped your music at 128kbps or downloaded it from a not so trustworthy site.

Now that the plugs are out of the way, let's break down this past week's 3R's.



Lana Del Rey – A Model Musician



For the past three weeks or so, I've used this column to promote Lana Del Rey so much that you would think I'm her pimp. If I were only so lucky… In reality, I'm just another fan smitten by her music and her gorgeous looks. I don't care that Del Rey's lips are a gift from a plastic surgeon. LDR's DSLs are a thing of beauty, and they give her a very refined, supermodel-ish look.



Apparently I'm not the only one because LDR has been signed by the modeling agency Next Models. This is no surprise considering that "Video Games" soundtracked the spring/summer 2012 shows for Christopher Kane and Emilio de la Morena. Those people are in the fashion industry (I have no clue either). LDR is not the first musician signed by Next Models. They also have ties to Ellie Goulding, Alice Dellal, and Jessie J.

How will this affect her music career? Is she more concerned with the fashion industry than music? Is she just some upstart that we'll all forget about in a few years? These are all questions that some of you may be asking. I have none of the answers. However, I don't expect much will come from this deal other than LDR being seen in a few magazine advertisements. Remember when Britney did those Candies' ads? She didn't give up her bread and butter afterwards. She should have to have kept her weight down.
Maybe we'll get Lana looking sexy in various photos, wearing lingerie. And maybe she'll parlay this thing into introducing her own clothing line. Whatever happens, I don't think she's going to douse the flames on her singing career just yet. What do you guys think of Lana Del Rey as a model?








Feist Covers Guns N Roses

Why Feist chose to cover the classic Guns N' Roses' song "November Rain" at a concert in Mexico City is beyond my comprehension. That doesn't stop it from being cool though, especially when the Slash lookalike begins to shred. However, is the piñata really necessary?








Black Keys - "Rock is dying".



Patrick Carney of the Black Keys is not just a drummer. No, it's a known fact that the guy has a medical license as well. Hell, he made a diagnosis very recently. The patient? Rock and roll. While speaking with Rolling Stone, the magazine you use as lining in your cat's litterbox, the Black Keys stated that they think rock and roll is dying. Seems like the music genre got a bad case of the Nickelback. Carney explains below.

People became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world. So they became OK with the idea that the biggest rock band in the world is always going to be shit – therefore, you should never try to be the biggest rock band in the world.

Fuck that. Rock and roll is the music I feel the most passionately about, and I don't like to see it fucking ruined and spoon-fed down our throats in this watered-down, post-grunge crap, horrendous shit.

Not only is it crap, but it's also shit. Nevermind that both of those things are the same. Look, while I appreciate it when any artist speaks his mind (because it causes discussion), I have to argue that Nickelback isn't fully to blame here. Sure, they don't make the kind of music that I like, but I remember a time when we were all getting behind this song.



Nickelback are just a band making music that they like to make. People are spoon-fed the music they make by their record label Roadrunner's parent company Warner Music Group. WMG paid for that song above to get constant airplay on MTV when it premiered, and the kids ate it up as a new rock anthem. The other major labels had no choice but to take notice and oversaturate the market with similar sounding bands that caused all of them to sound generic. There were no more surprises to be found in rock music because major labels dictated this "post-grunge crap, horrendous shit" is what the masses wanted.

The Black Keys belong to the Nonesuch music label, which is another Warner Music Group subsidiary (oh, the irony). However, the Black Keys have not gotten the same marketing boost that Nickelback or Hinder or Theory of a Deadman or Saving Abel got in their heyday. That could be because that "sound" became what people considered rock music, and it became too common. WMG would ascertain that rock music isn't hot anymore, and they would lump Black Keys with those bands because they proclaim that they're a "rock" band. It's not right since the Keys have a different sound altogether, but this is how music label marketing departments think.

The Black Keys should be thankful that they have earned a name in the industry even though rock has been partially ruined by bad decision making. Still, rock is not dying or dead. I'll say that mainstream rock music is on life support, and it's hard for any innovative rock bands to break out. However, rock music is thriving well in the indie music community, which is why the Black Keys are often marketed in this niche. Yuck, Wild Flag, and Girls released some of the best rock albums last year, but most people don't know that because their labels don't have the bucks to push their artists to the extremes that the majors do. The Black Keys have that luxury, which is why you know them and think of them as indie when they're not.

But it's a good thing that the true indie labels don't have the means of pushing their artists too heavy. They're not causing an industry response to introduce similar sounding artists that will, in effect, kill any momentum of keeping rock music fresh and exciting. Over-marketing has adverse effects. Just let the bands do their thing. Don't push them too hard. And don't think any similar sounding band earns a spotlight just because they sound the same. Evaluate whether the music is truly good before causing a negative reaction by disillusioned listeners.












Kanye West Says "DONDA"...a lot



Twitter is a great medium to learn more about your favorite actors, comedians, and musicians. We get a true inside look at the person's character and what makes them tick. Sometimes the celebrity's Twitter account gets them into trouble – countless nude pics, rude slurs against certain groups, and long, self-indulgent rants.

Kanye West is guilty of that last one. Yes, I follow Kanye West on Twitter. I enjoy the guy's music, and he's always good for a controversial tweet or two. BUT…he tends to get in long-winded strides where he forgets that Twitter is limited to 140 characters for a reason. A couple of nights ago, West tweeted 70 messages in three hours dealing with his fame, creativity, fashion line, and company DONDA.

Just saying "DONDA" aloud sounds like a response to when one of your friends says something dumb. DON…..DAAAA, just rolls off the tongue. I'm not going to post the full 70 message Twitter rant because you will get lost or stop caring before it's over. So I've taken the best parts out of the rant and sliced them up for you to check out below. Kanye's Tweets are in italics obviously, and my comments are not. Oh, and none of Kanye's tweets have been edited, so if you see errors in his rant, those are from the man himself.


They so you only live once but every time I come to work I feel like I'm starting a second life.

I wonder how many lives Kanye is up to now. This guy could outlive all of us.

I did the first fashion show out of my own pocket and used the money I made touring to follow my passion.

I read this as Kanye is more passionate about fashion shows. I'm not really sure if we should feel sympathy that Kanye fronted the money himself, or if he's just bragging that he has so much dough that he can put on fashion shows.

I designed a sneaker called the YEEZY with Nike. I'm "allowed" to design 1 pair of sneakers every 2 years. I have more ideas...Early 2011 ... I moved to Paris and ed a small design studio... the language barrier was quite difficult...I still don't have a Paris VAT number to this day... I don't know what a VAT but every time I asked why we didn't have fabrics they said...... it was because of the VAT.

Somehow I missed buying some of these sneakers. VAT is value added tax. It's a big deal overseas and for international businesses. Kanye may want to do some more research on it. I could tell you all about it, but it would bore you to death.

I used to get kicked out of class for bringing dirty mags and drawing Nikeys in 4th grade.

These are completely two different things. Were the teachers madder about the dirty mags or the Nikey drawings? Did the Nikey's have penises, like in Superbad? Shoes have to be the most boring thing that you can draw. Whenever I was drawing superheroes or cartoon characters as a kid, the shoes were the most minor detail.



Being a celebrity has afforded me many opportunities but has also boxed me in creatively. I was just discussing becoming the creative director for the Jetson movie and someone on the call yelled out.. you should do a Jetsons tour!

Maybe being a musician has boxed you in creatively. Being a celebrity has given you these opportunities such as doing a Jetsons movie that no one will give two shits about. And whoever that person was on the call that suggested a Jetsons tour should be decapitated because there is no working brain in his or her head.

I appreciate having the most nominations at the Grammies but I feel so conflicted by the fact that award shows sometimes are completely......illogical. 

Award shows are kind of weird. Is it really necessary to call one artist's work better than everyone else's or suggest that it's the best of the year when several people were not given the chance of contention? The awards shows are more serving to the distributors and companies that put out these albums, movies, etc. The artist is just their talent that they're using as a HAHA to the groups they compete with.

I want to help by doing what I know how to do best .. create. I have started a new company and I'm so excited about the name.... it's got the best name ever of all companies of all time!!!....The name of the company is DONDA.

Don don da! Best…name…ever? No.

DONDA is a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers and put them in a creative space to bounce there dreams and ideas...

Much like 411mania.com…just kidding.

I am assembling a team of architects, graphic designers, directors musicians, producers, AnRs, writers, publicist, social media experts...app guys, managers, car designers, clothing designers, DJs, video game designers, publishers, tech guys, lawyers, bankers, nutritionist ...doctors, scientist,teachers...DONDA will be comprised of over 22 divisions with a goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford...I want to put creatives in a room together with like minds that are all waaaay doper than me. 

This sounds like the Dharma Initiative. Do the employees get cool jumpsuits?



DONDA This will all take time but I wanted everyones to know what I really care about... I care about people. I care about my fans..I care about people who have never heard of me... There are over 7 billion people on the planet now...

And you want all of them to know you? To thank you? Whew…ego alert!

My dreams keep me woke.

Grammar alert!

We need as many amazing powerful smart talented wealthy people to be involved... Come get on board... don't just sit there... reach out. 

I'm reaching, but I already gave all of my money to Scientology; pesky thetans.

We need to pick up where steve jobs left off. When I said wealthy I wanted to point out there are so many billionaires in the world that can come together and help to redesign it.

Is Warren Buffet following Kanye on Twitter? If not, be sure to let him know.

School systems were designed to turn people into factory workers. Schools should be designed to prep human beings for real life. Spike Jonze and I want to do a Summer school that tries new forms of cuuriculim. Math classes should teach addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, accounting and money management aaaaaand cut!!! ....UNLESS YOU'RE A MATH MAJOR!!!!

I do not disagree with Kanye here. Makes total sense to me. Money management, balancing a checkbook, understanding mortgages and bank loans are areas that should be taught in our school systems if we ever want to manage the country's debt crisis. People have to understand these fundamentals to be proactive in life. The best time to teach them is while they're in school before they're dropped on their ass without knowing how to do any of it. My mom had to teach me how to balance my checkbook. School never educated me on it.

Kids you should be able to take majors starting in grammar school like how it is at performing art schools. Instead of kicking kids out of schools for using there iPhones... why not promote it? Allow kids to use search engines to do test...like the real WORLD!!!

I agree with Kanye here to an extent. Things shouldn't be so easy as going to a phone for an answer all the time. Knowledge retention has to be tested, or everyone will be a brainless dolt without access to the Internet. If the world's Internet crashed, the world would be screwed by Kanye's logic. Kanye should use his iPhone to do a search on what VAT is.

Give kids the amount of test they would have in a year in one day but they have to get everything perfect...Some kids have better memories than others... what about emotional IQs... what about kids who do bad in school because of how bad there ...surroundings are? I meant to say their...excuse me... I just get excited at the possibilities... the more excited I get... the more grammatical errors you'll see. 

No more jokes about the grammatical errors; Kanye is excited.

We need to take what Michael Jackson felt and Mcqueen and Steve Jobs and we need make things better...

In reference to MJ, where do we need to take pre-teen boys?



I sit everyday and ask what can I do to make a difference...I know this is not a very rapper thing to say but I haven't bought a new car or piece of jewelry in about 2 years...

Talk about sacrifices. I haven't bought a new (used) car since 2007. And I don't wear jewelry. It's nice to know that Kanye is using his money for the good of mankind. I mean, that's what he's implying, right?

There are so many broken systems from the economy to school systems jail systems... we need experts for this...We need scientist and top world designers to directly affect governments. If anyone would like to reach out email us at [e-mail].

I'm glad that DONDA isn't so big that it still has to use a gmail account for email.

Kanye closes with:

I just wanted to share what's been on my mind..."If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." - George Bernard Shaw"

Inspiring stuff, Kanye. For more of this lunacy, follow @kanyewest on Twitter. And if you're a scientist, expert, or top world designer, be sure to email DONDA at [e-mail]


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And that does it for this week. If you want to chat about the stories I covered here, follow me on Twitter @earbuddy or leave me some comments below. Let me know where this column falls under the 3R's – meaning for you to rate it as Right, wRong, or Ridiculous. I promise to change nothing. Also, be sure to read my other indie-music oriented column Major Bands, Minor Labels on 411mania. And especially don't forget to check out the great writing at my music site Earbuddy, outside of 411mania for greatindie music reviews. Thank you for reading the Music 3R's.