A recent report that has surfaced regarding various artists music being used to interrogate criminals and prisoners at the Guantanamo prison complex overseas.  Many artists such as Rosanne Cash, REM, Jackson Browne and Pearl Jam have joined a U.S. campaign asking those to come forward to name the music used, and to stop using it all-together.

I for one, don’t see it as a major issue.  Psychological war-fare has been used over the past centuries in a way to break down the prisoner or enemies mind to get the answers needed.  I also don’t know how it would feel if someone said that they were using my music to do that.  Should I be offended, that my music is that bad enough to break a prisoner?

Tom Morello - Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave

According to previously released documents, songs by bands like Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine were used as part of interrogating prisoners.

“Guantanamo is known around the world as one of the places where human beings have been tortured,” Tom Morello, of the bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, said in a statement Thursday.

“The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me,” Morello added.

This is what I don’t understand.  The two bands mentioned above were known for defying the government and speaking out against injustice.  If the reports are true, why use them and how was their music used to alter the minds of prisoners?  It’s  a fascinating world we certainly live in, when Rage Against The Machine is used instead of Roseanne singing the Nation Anthem on repeat.

This is certainly a fascinating tid-bit on the music industry and the cause an effect it can really have on various forms of people who live on this earth.  This story will be developing over the next few weeks, and I’ll surely update you on anything that happens.

Information used from this article: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/10/23/guantanemo-interrogate-music-campaign.html

Yesterday a new Michael Jackson song was revealed in anticipation for his new music documentary.   The song is called “This is it,” aptly named for his tour that he was re-hearsing for, before he died of apparent heart failure/drug overdose.  It was to be believed that the song was brand new and recently recorded, however singer/song writer Paul Anka had a different view about the song, and claims he helped write it with Michael.

The song was titled “I Never Heard,” and Jackson and Anka are credited as co-authors on an early 1990s version recorded by the singer Sa-Fire.

The orginial song was actually written 1983 for a duets album Anka was working on.  Paul Anka, broke this story yesterday once he heard word from the music indursty and various radio stations claiming that Michael’s song was brand new and written and recorded before his untimely death. togethor.

Paul Anka however, didn’t want to make it an issue after Michael’s publicity camp quickly corrected the situation and awarded him %50 publishing rights stated:

“They did the right thing,” Anka said. “I don’t think that anybody tried to do the wrong thing. It was an honest mistake.”

“There’s nothing but honorable people here,” said Anka, a former teen idol from the 1950s and ’60s who sang “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” and wrote “She’s A Lady”, one of Tom Jones‘ biggest hits.

It’s rather nice to see someone take credit for the mistake and actually fix a situation.  Too many times recordings happen and credit isn’t received.  Glad to hear everything worked out for Paul Anka, and hopefully the music documentary released labeled “This Is It,” benefits Michael’s children and helps proved for them in the future.

Michael Jackson - This Is It

As we’ve heard in the past, the RIAA is supposedly dropping it’s attacks against individual pirates and going after groups.  It’s fairly evident that it’s recent crack down on groups is alarming to members who provide an abundant amount of illegally shared music.

Indicted Wednesday were Adil R. Cassim, 29, of Granada Hills, California; Bennie Glover, 35, of Shelby, North Carolina; Matthew D. Chow, 28, of Missouri City, Texas; and Edward L. Mohan II, 46, of Baltimore. They were charged with being high-level members of the music sharing group called Rapid Neurosis, or RNS, which operated from 1999 to 2007, the DOJ said.

The defendants, led by Cassim for some time, allegedly conspired to illegally upload thousands of copyright-protected music files to RNS, the DOJ said. Many of those files were then reproduced and distributed hundreds of thousands of times, the agency said in a news release.

What this means for the people indicted is a possible maximum sentence of up to 5 years and prison and a $250,000 copyright fine, and three years of supervised vision.  Incredibly harsh punishment for the crime done.  Either way, it’s really worth sending this out to all music fans, because the threat is apparent, if your doing something illegal with music, you have the possibility to still get caught.

Article info taken from : Yahoo Tech!

Yesterday Michael Jackson was finally laid to rest, 74 days after his initial death.  His family and closest friends paid tribute during a service just outside Long Angeles, with invited guests such as Dame Elizabeth Taylor, actor Macaulay Culkin and music producer Quincy Jones.

While it’s unclear at this moment as to where Jackson is buried, it is known that he’s buried among some of the biggest stars in history at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.  Forest Lawn Memorial Park houses a various arrangements of stars including Clark Gable, Sammy Davis, and Jean Harlow.

Also, it’s very unclear as to where these stars are buried due to the cemetery’s strict privacy guidelines, as most cemeteries provide maps to the starts grave, this one does not.  Either way, it seems to be the time has finally come to close the book on one of the most famous pop musicians of all time.

The music world has again lost another intensely valued member of it’s community last week when Les Paul, famed guitar inventor and musician passed away.  He was 94.

Les Paul was solely one of the biggest reasons as to why “Rock and Roll” was created, as his creation and development in a solid body electric guitar created the sounds of a generation.  He’s also credited with various recording innovations as well such as overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects, and multitrack recording.  It’s certainly safe to say this man was also one of the first people to create the electric buzz sound and sell millions of records in the 1950’s with his wife.

Also, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as being a “key” inductee, and one of the few artists to actually have a stand alone exhibit dedicated to himself and the music he created.  Les Paul was certainly a genius in the business and his legacy will go down as one of the best musicians and innovators of music ever.  This year has been terrible for the music world, as it’s losing valued members who shaped the industry into the mega billion dollar corporation it’s become today.  While Les Paul may be gone, he certainly will never be forgotten.

Les Paul Guitar

The International Mozarteum Foundation said Thursday it has discovered two more works of music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  It’s rare and highly uncommon that after all of these years that a piece of work let alone two are discovered after all of these years, but it’s happened.

Take from Yahoo music, it does it’s best to give details onto when these works will be shown and preformed publicly for all to hear:

The Web site of the organization said its department of research had identified the works, long in the foundation’s possession, as Mozart compositions.

Mozart, who was born in Salzburg, lived from 1756 to 1791. He played piano from an early age, began composing music when he was 5, and eventually created more than 600 works, ranging from operas to chamber music, choral pieces and piano concertos.

The foundation declined to provide more details Thursday, saying specifics would be made public during a presentation in Salzburg on Aug. 2.

During the event, Austrian musician Florian Birsak will perform the pieces on an original Mozart piano.

It’s going to certainly be a sight and sound to hear compositions that haven’t been played in hundreds of sum odd years.  However, it’s another huge step in history and musical progression, to view and listen to these works in their original format

Original site for content found here

Aside from Michael’s personal life, I think it’s fair to say, he was as respected and loved in the music community as much as anyone could have possibly been.  Also, at this point in time, alot of mystery still surrounds his death, with the DEA now getting involved in the investigation.

Michael, had a knack for working the crowd, and producing highly entertaining shows to match his eccentric attitude.  Either way, the music community has lost one of the best preformers/singers of the 80’s.  I personally was born to late to remember anything but the tragedy/eccentric life style he decided to live.  Either way, RIP Michael Jackson, King Of Pop.

During these troubling economic times, the last thing fans think about is spending a lot of money to see musicians play their music.  However Live Nation has decided to ease concert goer’s minds with some plans to provide a better cost effective experience.

“More and more we are seeing that people are skipping the long family vacations, perhaps a trip to a Hawaii, a big auto purchase, but people need an escape from everyday life and music is that soundtrack of our lives,” said Live Nation’s CEO of Global Music, Jason Garner.

On June 2nd, 2009, Live Nation released a new promotion called “No Service Fee Wednesdays,”  which will drop the price of the ever increasing service fees for amphitheaters located all around the U.S.

“We just want to make it a little bit easier for music fans to get out, escape from some of these tough times and enjoy a great concert under the stars,” Garner stated.”

Also, more huge news came about with Live Nation and Ticketmaster, they will be merging to provide an even larger scale service system for people who enjoy concerts.  However as of late the deal has gone under review for anti-trust laws because of their large scale involvement in the entertainment industry.

“We are going through that process working right now with the Department of Justice to answer all of their questions,” Garner said. “When the merger goes through you can expect to see us continuing to find ways to make it easier to go to concerts – similar to what we are doing on Wednesdays, waiving the service fees. It’s our job to connect artists and fans.”

Whatever you prefer, wether it be purchasing music, going to shows, or both.  The music industry is more than willing to try and work with ideas to ease the hit to your wallet, as well as provide a greater escape to today’s troubling times.  Also, AlbertsGifts.com is surely to help you with your music gift ideas as well.  Click on over and save!

After taking a break from their last cd release “American Idiot,”  Green Day has made it’s triumphant return to pop/punk music with it’s release of  “21st Century Breakdown.”  I myself am not a fan of their music, just too political for my tastes.  I miss the days of Dookie, before they dove into the heavy political stance the decided to go for.

However this cd is getting rave reviews and being hailed as the Album that shows they can take it to the next level of musicianship.  The Album is about telling stories of Christian and Gloria trying to make their way through and understanding this hectic world we live in.   With whatever your music taste is, if you dig this kind of stuff, surely check it out.  I felt it was worth mentioning as it was a rather long hiatus in music from this group and they have been known to break down barriers from time to time…enjoy!

Green Day "21st Century Breakdown"

Wednesday night marked another rousing episode taking aim at another very brash and outlandish music artist,  Kanye West.  Kanye’s ego is remarkable.  He’s probably the only man who thinks he should and actually does own everything he touches.  Not only is it just confidence in himself, but the confidence he’s portrayed through media with various outbursts at award shows, because he thought he should win every music award his name was up for.  Or the fact that he’s actually been quoted as saying his greatest regret was not being able to see himself perform live.

Or the fact that he has said in the past year that he is the “voice of this generation.”  However, “South Park,”  which has taken aim at such celebrities as Michael Jackson, Rosie O’donnel, Family Guy, as well as other various big name stars, actually got through to Kanye and got through his awesome shield.

Kayne posted this in his blog the day after the show aired

“SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT’S PRETTY FUNNY. IT HURTS MY FEELINGS BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM SOUTH PARK! I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY EGO THOUGH. HAVING THE CRAZY EGO IS PLAYED OUT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER.”

Yes, it was posted in all caps,  because frankly I would never intentionally try and hurt anyone’s eyes.  Also, he was marked as saying:

“I JUST WANT TO BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM”

I don’t exactly get what that means, but as long as it makes him a better person, great.  I’m actually happy however that “South Park” has potentially changed or altered someone’s life that was portrayed in such a fashion as they normally do.  It’s not very often that someone with alot of money realizes and says they have a problem with how they portray themselves.  So whatever comes from this or if he really changes.  I’m glad that it happened because South Park went above and beyond with entertainment value.

Kanye West