Did Rick James Bet on Baseball?

There is an article about Rick James in the New York Times that is pretty interesting. The writer, Jonathan Lethem, attempts to show us that there was more to Rick James than his "Super Freak" image.

Interestingly, Lethem refers to James as the "Pete Rose of funk." I think he's more like the Rickey Henderson of funk, but who am I to quibble with the Paper of Record?

iPod the DJ, I Am What I Play There is an article about bars that let people DJ with their iPods. You can find it at the offical paper of the iPod, the . This seems like a good idea.

It's kind of like those old restaurants that have little jukeboxes at every table, except the jukebox has your own music in it.

Making the Band: R.

E.M.

Some R.

E.M. news from :

Former Ministry drummer Bill Reiflin has been appointed the full-time drummer for REM.

Reifin, who played on their recent album Around The Sun, has now officially replaced Bill Berry who left the band amicably in 1997. Reifin joined Ministry in the late 80's. He was also a member of Ministry side-project Revolting Cocks.

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I think this is a good idea for them. The records since Bill Berry left have some good moments, but in general they don't sound cohesive. Perhaps playing together as a true band will give their songs a little more focus.

Also, I believe that it is often a drummer that can make a good band great.

Why Not Gang of Four?

(Updated)

(This is a response to a comment) "Not Advanced" does not mean "not good." As far as I know, everybody thinks Gang of Four is great, which is why they can't be Advanced. To be Advanced is to be misunderstood by almost everyone, including your core fan base.

You can be one of the greatest bands of all time without being Advanced. There's no shame in it. I have nothing bad to say about Gang of Four other than they remind me of a rather unfortunate relationship I had when I was 20.

I'll research them a little more and see what I can come up with to explain it further.

Update: I think I might be able to clear this up by quoting from their biographical information on :

After three consecutive sensational albums, as well as a handful of EPs and singles, Allen left in 1982 to form the more danceable and less overtly political Shriekback, while Gill, King, and Burnham recorded the misguided "radical soul/R B" record Hard with veteran American producers Ron and Howard Albert (who'd previously worked with Stephen Stills' Manassas and Firefall). A near total disaster, Hard signalled that the end was nigh.

Gill and King, who by this point had final say-so on the band's musical and political direction, sacked Burnham, and the now "Gang of Two" released a so-so live album (At the Palace) and called it quits in 1984.

The project that sounds the most Advanced is the "radical soul/R B" record because it was an unappreciated departure from their sound. But overall, Gang of Four doesn't quite fit the profile, even though they were a good and very influential band.

Oasis, Pearl Jam, and the Hampton Grease Band Oasis has decided not to put out a double album, and their reason is very overt: They want to stick it to Sony. Here's the story from (where else?