The Beatles reissues arrived at my doorstep about ten days early (release date is Sept. 9) and if they don’t give the ailing music biz a kick in the collective pants, then it’s hard to say what will. Designed to coincide with the September 9 release of The Beatles Rock Band video game, the CD reissues mark the first time since 1987 that the Beatles’ catalogue has been updated. Still unavailable on iTunes, the Beatles are one of the only bands whose catalogue can’t be downloaded, making a reissue campaign all the more significant.

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The film “Tyson” is definitely a great piece of work by director James Toback- just ask the man Mike Tyson himself. Unfortunately, Mike Tyson is about the only man you can ask. While this film gives a perspective on one of the greatest heavyweights in history, using him as the sole source leaves many questions open. It is apparent the goal of the documentary is simply the life of Tyson through the eyes of Tyson and it’s hard to call it very definitive in any aspect besides self-opinion. (more…)

This weekend marks the finale weekend in Chicagoland’s famed Ravinia Festival (www.ravinia.org), which has thus far hosted John Legend, Elvis Costello and the Steve Miller Band to name but a handful. But the season goes out with a band thanks to back to back double headers that build a bridge from the classic past to the country/pop present. Even at 83, Tony Bennett is a regular on the road who’s voice is like a delicate instrument that continues to stand the test of time. One of the last living vintage male vocalists has too many hits to count, though fans can try this Friday and Saturday, while marveling at how pristine he still sounds in concert. (more…)

We now have a widget application available on all of America’s indie record store websites (as highlighted in our ongoing Record Store Spotlights) where readers can every single Hear/Say update hot off the presses. Here are five reasons why you should check it out right away:

1. The Widget contains news and events from the music world happening right now!

2. It is a way of entering contests to be eligible to win cool prizes such as autographed CDs, vinyl albums and memorabilia. (more…)

“End the summer with a scream,” the promo campaign for Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2, might just be the understatement of the year. Zombie, a horror aficionado like no other, has crafted one of the most frightening films you’ll ever see. The movie commences as Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton) has just shot bad guy Mike Myers. She’s walking down the street covered in blood when the local sheriff (Brad Douriff) finds her and gets her into an ambulance and off to the hospital. There, she’s rushed into surgery and the close-ups of her bloody body are horrifying. We see the doctors stitch up her various wounds in enough detail to make you think you’re watching a medical education film.

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Sony Music Entertainment and Experience Hendrix L.L.C. have agreed to a monumental catalog licensing deal to set the stage for a worldwide campaign to make all of Jimi’s extraordinary music, including classics, never before heard archive recordings, and filmed concerts available through every type of media.

Legacy Recordings, Sony’s catalog music division, will issue definitive deluxe editions of the classics released during Jimi’s all too brief career including GRAMMY® Hall Of Fame Inductees “Are You Experienced”, “Axis: Bold As Love”, “Electric Ladyland” and (outside the US) “Band of Gypsys.” In addition, Legacy will also release those posthumous compilations produced by Experience Hendrix during its stewardship. Each title will also be available through major Digital Service Providers.

Dagger Records, Experience Hendrix’s “official bootleg” division, now in its eleventh year, offers recordings that are of great historical significance. 　The company has also sponsored numerous Experience Hendrix tours that have showcased contemporary artists performing the music of Jimi Hendrix in concert to underscore the never ending vitality and inspiration of Hendrix’s music. 　Participating artists on these tours have included Robert Randolph, Carlos Santana, Paul Rodgers, Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, members of Pearl Jam, Aerosmith, the Doors, Los Lobos and many others.

Details about the 2010 Experience Hendrix Tour will soon be revealed.

This historic partnership will include Legacy’s participation in Dagger Records, the Experience Hendrix tours and other Hendrix-related businesses.

“Jimi’s legacy and vision were unique and there will never be another that reaches his unparalleled genius. He was the greatest guitarist ever,” said Janie Hendrix, President and CEO of Experience Hendrix.

“We are confident that our new relationship with Sony Music will honor my beloved brother’s legacy and will deliver Jimi’s special ‘Message Of Love’ across the globe. We look forward to the creative partnership and ground breaking releases that this new relationship will engender to bring Jimi’s music to successive generations of fans.”

“No artist has ever transformed the pop music landscape as profoundly or as permanently as Jimi Hendrix,” said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. 　”We are proud to be partnering with Experience Hendrix, keeping the sound and spirit of Jimi’s music alive for future generations around the world.”

About Legacy Recordings

The multiple Grammy-winning Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment’s catalog division, produces and maintains the world’s foremost catalog of historic reissues, an unparalleled compendium of thousands of digitally re-mastered archival titles representing virtually every musical genre including popular, rock, jazz, blues, R&B, folk, country, gospel, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, ethnic, world music, classical, comedy and more.

About Experience Hendrix L.L.C.

Founded by James ‘Al’ Hendrix, Jimi’s father, in 1995, Experience Hendrix, has been managed since its inception by the family members handpicked by Al during his tenure as Chairman. 　　It is the official family company charged with managing the music, name, image and likeness of Jimi Hendrix. As a part of their daily operations, Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix oversee Jimi’s timeless legacy on a worldwide basis.

Ranked #1 in Kerrang Magazine’s “100 Gigs That Shook The World” and voted as “Nirvana’s #1 Greatest Moment” by fans in an NME poll, Nirvana’s historic August 30, 1992 headlining appearance at the UK’s Reading Festival is one of the most bootlegged concerts in the annals of rock’n’roll.　 Now, fans will have an opportunity to own a pristine copy of that entire performance — color-corrected video from the original film with audio sourced from the original multi-track masters.　　Nirvana Live At Reading　will be issued in a limited edition

CD+DVD Deluxe Edition as well as DVD-only, CD-only configurations on

November 3, 2009, followed by a 2 LP version on November 17, 2009.

While the show’s centerpiece was a performance of nearly the entire Nevermind　tracklist, also noteworthy were early performances of three as yet unrecorded songs which wouldn’t be released until 2 years later on　In Utero:　”All Apologies,” “Dumb,” and in its first ever public performance, “tourette’s.” The career-spanning setlist also reached back to the band’s 1989 Sub Pop debut album,　Bleach, for “Blew,”

“About A Girl,” “School,” “Negative Creep” and first single “Love Buzz,” and even further back to the mid-‘80s for “Spank Thru.”　 Other songs from the Reading set would appear in studio form on the Incesticide　compilation later in the year: “Aneurysm,” “Been A Son”

and “Sliver.”　 Additionally, the band played a pair of beloved covers by two bands that helped shape the formative Nirvana sound – “The Money Will Roll Right In” by Fang and “D-7″ by The Wipers.　

Only 2 of the 25 performances on the DVD have ever been released before.

Nirvana Live At Reading　DVD:

1.　　　　　Breed

2.　　　　　Drain You

3.　　　　　Aneurysm

4.　　　　　School

5.　　　　　Sliver

6.　　　　　In Bloom

7.　　　　　Come As You Are

8.　　　　　Lithium

9.　　　　　About A Girl

10.　　　tourette’s

11.　　　Polly

12.　　　Lounge Act

13.　　　Smells Like Teen Spirit

14.　　　On A Plain

15.　　　Negative Creep

16.　　　Been A Son

17.　　　All Apologies

18.　　　Blew

19. Dumb

20. Stay Away

21. Spank Thru

22. Love Buzz*

23. The Money Will Roll Right In

24. D-7

25. Territorial Pissings

*not included on CD

In the opening scene of The Final Destination, Nick (Bobby Campo) is sitting at a racetrack with his girlfriend Lori (Shantel VanSanten) and their two friends, Janet (Haley Webb) and Hunt (Nick Zano). He suddenly has a premonition that something’s about to go terribly wrong and in a flash he sees a car spin out of control and fly into the crowd, setting off a chain of events that leaves numerous people dead, some of them impaled and decapitated. In a panic, he makes his friends leave the venue and they escape to safety in the parking lot.

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Dirty Projectors are embarking on a North American tour this fall in support of their latest release, Bitte Orca.  The band consists of David Longstreth (lead vocals, guitar), Amber Coffman (vocals, guitar), Angel Deradoorian (vocals, keyboard, guitar, bass), Brian Mcomber (drums), Nat Baldwin (bass) and vocalist Haley Dekle.

Dirty Projectors will be performing on the Late Show with David Letterman next Monday, August 31st.

Praise for Bitte Orca:

“…the most thoroughly engaging entry in the Dirty Projectors catalog and one of the most singularly engrossing albums likely to be released this year, a triumph in sustained creative restlessness.” – Paste

“Over nine indispensable tracks, Bitte Orca forges a more perfect union between eccentricity and accessibility.” – The Onion

“In an era of scripted and calculated music, the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants Dirty Projectors thrill at every blind turn they barrel through.” – Under The Radar

DIRTY PROJECTORS TOUR DATES

10/20 – BALTIMORE, MD – Ottobar

10/21 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Trocadero

10/22 – WASHINGTON, DC – Black Cat

10/24 – ATLANTA, GA – Masquerade

10/25 – LAFAYETTE, LA – Nitetown

10/26 – AUSTIN, TX – Antones

10/28 – PHOENIX, AZ – Rhythm Room

10/30 – SAN DIEGO, CA – North Park Theatre

11/01 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Bimbo’s

11/03 – PORTLAND, OR – Aladdin

11/04 – SEATTLE, WA – Neumo’s

11/07 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – In The Venue

11/08 – DENVER, CO – Bluebird

11/09 – LAWRENCE, KS – Granada

11/11 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Cedar Cultural Center

11/13 – CHICAGO, IL – Bottom Lounge

11/14 – TORONTO, ON – Opera House

11/15 – MONTREAL, PQ – National

11/17 – BOSTON, MA – Paradise

11/18 – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom

11/19 – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall

11/21 – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall

11/22 – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom

With seven years between The Black Crowes’ pre-hiatus studio CD Lions and last year’s Warpaint, it’s only fitting to find the newly reunited Robinson brothers turning it into a grand occasion. Besides a world tour in support of the project, followed by a double disc live collection, a like-minded DVD traces the album in its entirely, alongside a handful of covers from the Crowes’ psychedelic influence pool. (more…)