“Earworm”–It’s Officially a Word.

16 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags:

Among the new words added to this year’s update of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary (bucket list, f-bomb, game changer, man cave) is “Earworm”: a song or melody that keeps repeating in one’s mind. The example given on the website is  “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. Ya think?

According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of the word was in 1802. (Hard as I try I can’t think of a song from 1802 nearly as catchy as “Call Me Maybe”)

The German word “ohrwurm” (literally translated as “earworm”) has the same definition, and certainly this is a case of English co-opting one more useful word from another language.

Now, while we’re at it…

The German language has a word for a song that is popular for a short time and then seems to disappear from favor.  It’s an Eintagsfliege (One-day-fly), named for the sort of flies that live only a few hours (in English: Mayflies). We need to Englishize (Englishify?) this word to describe all our flash in the pan songs, many of which began their life cycle as the most inescapable of earworms.

John Denver at the PMRC Hearings, 1985

16 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) also known as the “Washington Wives” was formed in 1985 with the purpose of exerting control (“censorship” some said) over the access children had to violent and explicit music by putting warning labels on albums.

Rap music of the time was thought to be a particular threat, with rapper Ice-T specifically accused by Tipper Gore of inciting increased violence against police in Los Angeles.

On September 19, 1985 three musicians stepped to the microphone to testify. They were Dee Snyder (of Twisted Sister), Frank Zappa and…John Denver, who’d had his own music banned in some cities in the early 70’s.

Many on the PMRC committee expected the folk-pop singer to speak in support of their agenda. But instead Denver articulately stated the case against censorship saying, “That which is denied becomes that which is most desired, and that which is hidden becomes that which is most interesting. Consequently, a great deal of time and energy is spent trying to get at what is being kept from you.” (Spoken like an experienced dad)

(Snyder and Zappa were less conciliatory in tone. And Zappa subsequently responded with his Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention album, which featured a parody of the warning label on its cover.)

Video by Ed Cyphers

The 30 Richest Drummers in the World

14 Oct 2012 5 Comments

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags:

    

(Source: MSN Entertainment)

Celebrity Net Worth recently published a list of the 30 richest drummers in the world. And maybe it’s not surprising that Ringo Starr could buy and sell all of us several times over, or that many of the richest drummers are people who figured out ways to stop being drummers (Dave Grohl, Phil Collins). But how in the hell is Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer worth $100 million? Check out the full head-spinning list below.

1. Ringo Starr (The Beatles, $300 million)

2. Phil Collins (Solo/Genesis, $250 million)

3. Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters, $225 million)

4. Don Henley (The Eagles, $200 million)

5. Lars Ulrich (Metallica, $175 million)

6. Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones, $160 million)

7. Larry Mullen Jr. (U2, $150 million)

8. Roger Taylor (Queen, $105 million)

9. Joey Kramer (Aerosmith, $100 million)

10. Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, $90 million)

11. Travis Barker (blink-182, $85 million)

12. Stewart Copeland (The Police, $80 million)

13. Alex Van Halen (Van Halen, $75 million)

14. Nick Mason (Pink Floyd, $75 million)

15. Tommy Lee (Motley Crue, $70 million)

16. Bill Ward (Black Sabbath, $65 million)

17. Jon Fishman (Phish, $60 million)

18. Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band, $55 million)

19. Rick Allen (Def Leppard, $50 million)

20. Tre Cool (Green Day, $45 million)

21. Danny Carey (Tool, $40 million)

22. Tico Torres (Bon Jovi, $40 million)

23. Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band/”Conan O’Brien,” $35 million)

24. Mickey Hart (The Grateful Dead, $30 million)

25. Bill Kreutzmann (The Grateful Dead, $25 million)

26. Neil Peart (Rush, $22 million)

27. Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters, $20 million)

28. ?uestlove (The Roots, $16 million)

29. Steven Adler (Guns N’ Roses, $15 million)

30. Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac, $8.5 million)

Let’s just take a minute for the fact that Steven Adler played on one and a half Guns N’ Roses albums, that he’s been generally unfamous and making the “Celebrity Rehab” rounds for the past two decades, and that he’s still worth $15 million.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are Releasing a Christmas Album

14 Oct 2012 1 Comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags: ,

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are releasing a Christmas album

(Reprinted from Salon)

This Christmas, “Grease” stars Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are giving you the gift of the 1970s, whether you want the decade back or not. After nearly 35 years, the pair has reunited to record a Christmas album with guests Kenny G (yes) and Barbra Streisand among others.  All proceeds from “This Christmas” will go to charities selected by Travolta and Newton-John. “We want to make a lot of people smile and happy. It’s a project that we’re hoping turns into a perennial, one that can continue to raise money for these causes year after year, a gift that keeps on giving,” said Newton-John in a statement.

The album will be released Nov. 13.

Naming a Band? Think Googlability

14 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts

Naming a new band? When the Cars, the Police, Heart and the Eagles did so their lack of originality may have cost them a few style points but it probably didn’t hurt their record sales any.

Today an aspiring band can’t afford to make the same mistake. With so many artists breakthroughs coming as the result of social media sites, and with the power of the “like” click meaning as much as the major label ad campaign, a band must make themselves easy to find online. And that means having an original word or word combination as a band name.

Just as Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan are easier to Google today than the Police are, bands named Mumford & Sons and Flaming Lips and Freelance Whales are a little easier to spread word about than bands like The Shore, Youth Group, Roman Candle and Girls, if only because it’s easier to find their Facebook pages.

Don’t use a common word or phrase to name your band. There’s money in exposure, and exposure is easier to come by for a band who use a fresh word combination to name themselves.

 

Pete Townshend Discusses His New Bio, Performs Acoustic “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

14 Oct 2012 2 Comments

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags: ,

Pete Townshend sits down with Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone to discuss his new biography, his relationship with Roger, the ghosts of Keith Moon and John Entwistle and his love for his iPod.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/pete-townshend-goes-acoustic-on-wont-get-fooled-again-20121011?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

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