Remember, live music festival in Anniston this weekend

The Noble Street Festival is this weekend in downtown Anniston, and you're gonna get sick of us reminding you of it -- especially the Hot Blast MusicFest.

If you don't remember, here's the lineup. Music starts at 2. Thanks to the festival Web site for the info.

Keitha Williams, 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Solo Acoustic singer/songwriter. A longtime local favorite!

Lonely Pines, 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Blues Rock

McPherson Struts, 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Rock

Caribbean Chrome, 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Steel Drum Band

Distant Cousins, 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Bluegrass. Featuring Kelli Johnson & Jim Marsh

Ethan and the Ewox, 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. until!
Having opened for such artists as The Dave Mathews Band, Drivin 'n Cryin, Chris Whitley, and others, Ethan and the Ewox recently moved from Jacksonville, Alabama to the big city of Atlanta, where they are developing quite a fan base. The band is fronted by the passionate vocals of Ethan Baker. Add to that the distinctive lead and slide techniques of guitarist Rob Bruce. Bassist Lafrandin Minchew's evocative tenor voice keeps the background vocals dripping with soul. Renaissance-man Gary Chumney fills it out with his incredible drumming and talent for being able to play any instrument he picks up. From blistering rock to fusionistic funk to searing swampy blues to contemplative folk and soul, Ethan and the Ewox occupy a distinctive space in the music world.

This time, Chesney's really the man

Gotta hand it to Kenny Chesney -- you don't hear this type of story every day.

Chesney, the country music star, got his foot stuck in an elevator during his show this weekend in South Carolina. He finished the show, even though reports from the event say Chesney crushed bones in his foot and was in considerable pain. No kidding, right?

It's quite an amazing read. There were about 45,000 people at the show -- held at the University of South Carolina football stadium -- and Chesney played the entire show without medical assistance instead of stopping the show and disappointing the crowd.

Wow. It's all over the Internet, but you can read about it here.

Coachella Webcast this weekend

Watch a select group of bands each day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Previous years have rivaled Bonnaroo and this one is no different.

Read more >>

Hip-hop on tour

I love tooling around on the Internet for what other blogs are writing about the music industry and such, and today I found a fascinating story from the Detroit Free Press on the history of hip-hop tours. Here are the first few lines:

Hip-hop had a problem.

By the early 1990s, the style born in the Bronx had become a bona fide national phenomenon, a cultural force with the hits to match.

But the mammoth success enjoyed by rap music in record stores and on the airwaves wasn’t being equaled in the nation’s concert venues. For the most part, successful live hip-hop was a no-show.

Click here to read the rest, which goes into the current Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige tour and its significance for the hip-hop touring industry.

I bet Snoop and Willie are best friends

Like odd duets?

How about Nelly Furtado and Keith Urban?

Read about it here.

Or -- ready ... -- Snoop Dog and Willie Nelson?

Read about that here.

We can't make this stuff up. And Lord knows we can't make up the idea of Snoop hanging with Willie in Amsterdam. I mean, think of the possibilities: Willie, Snoop, the Red Light District, legalized ... Oh, well, you get the idea.

Get your tickets now

The diligent crew here at Off the Record has noticed that it's been quite a few days of announcements of this summer's concert tours.

So we've tried to make things easier for OTR devotees and put together some sort of compilation. Of course, we failed. This isn't an authoritative list. But it's worth reading, at least.

Singer/songwriter John Mayer has released dates for a summer tour with support from Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen. No word on whether Jennifer Love Hewitt of "Your Body is a Wonderland" fame will be on the bill or not.

Read about it here.

Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament will unite for the Metal Masters Tour this summer. Now, I have no idea why anyone would want to listen to 60-year-old guys scream -- there's irony here, if you can figure it out -- but apparently these guys still have a following.

Read about it here.

Eighties rockers Night Ranger have announced the first set of dates for an international trek in support of the band's first studio release in a decade, Hole in the Sun, and its 25th anniversary. Today, Night Ranger. Tomorrow, A Flock of Seagulls?

Read about it here.

More later, if we can find time.

Leave well enough alone

They were the cautionary tale, the beautiful losers whose songs of youthful pathos and wasted potential gave birth to the "alternative nation."

The Replacements. Possibly the greatest band that nobody's heard of ... or at least the band that nobody's heard enough of. Fueled by alcohol and hopelessness, these Minnesota rockers knew no middle ground, living by the old Neil Young mantra, "It's better to burn out than to fade away."

And they surely burned out. But not before leaving the world with some of the most haunting hard rock ballads ever written. Their first, at best, effort "Let it Be," along with a short catalogue of earlier albums is set for "deluxe edition" remastering by Rhino Records. And while this is a record that absolutely everyone should own (along with several major label releases that are set for the same treatment later this year) "Let It Be" is the pinnacle.

But with such attention come the rumours of a reunion. And that would be a horrible mistake. With only two of the four members still in music - song writer Paul Westerberg and wunderkind bassist Tommy Stinson - The Replacements have long been given offers to reunite.

This was a band beloved for being a drunken mess - either brilliant or wasted - it's something that cannot be recaptured. It would taint a legacy that's fine just the way it is. So go and buy the record and do like so many before have done ... Imagine how great these guys could've been.

Read the whole story here: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003791810

Beam me up, Scotty! Let's go to (the) Enterprise!

I have to admit that the Off the Record crew is not well versed in the fine town of Enterprise, Ala., or that it has its own music festival. That's our fault.

Enterprise's festival is called BamaJam, and it released its lineup of acts for this summer's shows on Sunday. Take a look:

Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Nanci Griffith.

ZZ Top.

Trace Adkins.

Little Big Town.

Of all the Alabama festivals that we've seen the lineups for, this one seems to have the most star power -- even if you're not a fan of Southern rock or country music.

Read more about it here.

A true loss

Though he's certainly not the most recognizable or even most talented member of the E Street Band, without organist and keyboard player Danny Federici Bruce Springsteen might have never become "The Boss."

And now that signature sound - famous on such Springsteen classics as "Born to Run," "Jungleland," and "My Hometown" - has been permantely silenced.

Federici died Thursday after a three year battle with melanoma. Despite the disease, he never stopped recording, laying down tracks for Springsteen's latest "Magic." But he had been forced to drop out of the band's North American tour.

Read the whole story - http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=e470b610-26ff-4284-b581-79efccedeaa9

Original Jane's Addiction to play show

Fans of Juana's adiccion rejoice! The original lineup is getting together for a performance at the NME Awards on April 23. This will be the first time the band has performed with their original players since 1991.

Read more >>

Might as well go to McClellan this weekend

Sometimes, the large staff of Off the Record makes a mistake.

This is one of those times.

Not a correction, mind you, but an innocent omission.

We should have included this weekend's Mountain Longleaf Festival at McClellan when we've blogged about upcoming festivals in the area and across Alabama. We're sorry. Thirty lashes, please.

Musically speaking, there's something for everyone, including shows by the Sterling Silver Band (rock), the JAXPAN Steel Drum Band, Foggy Hollow (bluegrass), Maybe Later (Southern rock), Dustin Howard (rock) and Laura Dodd and Tom Walker (country).

The Star's Escapes crew had a neat update on the goings-on at the festival in today's edition. Check it out here.

Predictin' Priest

Who says heavy metal acts aren't smart.

In the most obvious partnership since Ted Nugent wore a loincloth, Metal Gods Judas Priest have reportedly completed their long-rumoured concept album "Nostradamus."

Wanna guess what the concept is?

Set to drop in June and followed by a series of festival dates where the leather-clad Brits will likely work in a few new tracks amid their hits, "Nostradamus" will be a double-disc effort with some special editions coming complete with a 48-page book ... all about the life and times of the 16th century prophet.

Enter Spinal Tap reference here ...

Read the entire story at billboard.com http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003790012

Taylor Hicks is coming to 'Dega

OK, I'm not going to make any comments about Taylor Hicks, an Alabama guy, or American Idol, the successful U.S. TV show. Form your own opinions here. (Mine may come later.)

Anyway, this just came in from the good folks at Talladega Superspeedway.

Get your tickets now.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Taylor Hicks, who won the fifth-season of the American Idol competition, will sing the National Anthem prior to the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The 31-year-old Hicks, born in nearby Birmingham Ala. and raised in Hoover, captured more than 63 million votes to win the fifth season of American Idol, which has a tradition of producing today’s greatest singing stars.
“We’re proud to have one of Alabama’s favorite sons in Taylor Hicks perform the National Anthem prior to the Aaron’s 499,” Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey said. “With his raspy, soulful voice, race fans should expect a rousing rendition of the National Anthem.”
After winning the fifth season of American Idol in 2005, Hicks’ first single “Do I Make You Proud” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard’s Hot 100, the Single Sales chart and the Pop 100 with more than 190,000 copies sold in its first week of release. His self-titled major-label debut album arrived in late 2006 and “Live at the Workplay Theatre,” a concert album recorded in summer 2006, was released in 2007.
Tickets are still available for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend by calling the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office at 1-877-Go2-DEGA, (1-877-462-3342) or visiting www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. For our hearing impaired guests, please call TDD 1-866-ISC-TRAK (1-866-472-8725).

Our CMT Awards recap

Since there are apparently hundreds of Taylor Swift fans who are dedicated readers of Off The Record, we might as well blog about Taylor's night at the CMT Awards on Monday.

The girl did well.

Swift won video of the year for "Our song," and was also a hit just because she was there. Here's what she told The AP:

"I wrote that song in the 9th grade for a talent show," said the 18-year-old Swift, who won the night's top honor over Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Sugarland. "I never thought it would be on an album, never thought I'd record it, never thought it would be a single, never thought it would be No. 1 and certainly never thought it would win video and female video of the year."

Other cool stuff of the night was the Hannah Montana sighting -- OK, that was a joke -- and the Allison Krauss/Robert Plant duet, always an interesting mix.

Read all about it here.

songs to rock your baby

They say that music soothes the savage beast. This is especially true if said savage beast is a fussy 3-month-old baby girl.

But thank heavens for i-Tunes, for it seems that this baby is gonna have her daddy's obsession for music. And just in case there may be other fathers out there in need of some silent lucidity, here's just a sampling of musical options that put my bundle of bellowing into a much better mood:

Tom Waits - especially the crooner stuff - "Time," "Martha," "Hope I Don't Fall In Love with You," "Alice" "Innocent when You Dream," "Train Song" and some of the weirder stuff "Children's Story," "What's He Building in There."

Dream Theater - particularly "Scenes from a Memory."

"Home Sweet Home," both the demo, radio and instrumental cuts from the reissued version of Theater of Pain

And John Lennon's "Plastic Yoko Band" album ... save for "Do the Oz." Woke here up screaming.

Return of the Crue

It appears that the rumours are true, the Godfathers of LA Sleaze Rock have returned.

Motley Crue - Tommy Lee and Mick Mars (yep, he's still alive) - have reportedly, this according to lead heathen and songwriter Nikki Sixx, have delivered the new record and if this first single, "The Saints of Los Angeles" is any indication, the boys have lost much of their swagger. God, could it be that in the same 12-month span would could actually see both Van Halen reunite and the REAL Motley Crue drop a new record. Heck, even Trixter getting back together again. And let's not forget the excellent Scorpions album, Humanity.

Now ... if only Guns 'n' Roses would get back together again ... never hurts to dream

Anyway, check out the new single here: http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news08/0411mot.shtml

Who's coming to Noble Street?

It would be downright unfair if we did all this blogging about the music festivals in Alabama this spring and summer and we didn't mention Anniston's very own Musicfest that's part of the Noble Street Festival on May 3.

So, we're mentioning it.

Here's the lineup. (Comments are from the festival's Web site, not from the massive editorial staff of Off the Record, most of whom took the weekend off and left me to do all the blogging.):

Keitha Williams
2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Solo Acoustic singer/songwriter.
A longtime local favorite!

Tony Yardley & Donnie Geir
3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Classic Rock

McPherson Struts
4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Rock

Caribbean Chrome
5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Steel Drum Band

Distant Cousins
6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Bluegrass.
Featuring Kelli Johnson & Jim Marsh

Ethan and the Ewox
7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. until!

The good news is the bands are local, which makes sense, in a way, to showcase local talent at a local music festival. Got no problem with that. The Ewox play up in Jacksonville all the time, so as a headliner there's quality in knowing them, but also a little disappointment that the festival folks didn't fork out some cash to bring in someone who doesn't play Calhoun County frequently.

Oh, well.

All music festivals will have their critics, including this one.

Still, seems worth supporting, certainly. Read all about it here. As most folks know, there's a lot more to this festival than just music.

Hey, Morris Day's coming to Montgomery!

As everyone knows, Montgomery has one of these spring/summer music festivals, too. The Capitol City's is called Jubilee Cityfest, though it's not necessarily anything to be jubilant about more than any of the others.

The Montgomery festival is slated for May 23-26.

Here is the lineup thus far:

Taylor Swift.

Angie Stone.

Erykah Badu.

Morris Day and The Time. (Recently added, so that's called breaking news.)

Huey Lewis and The News.

Paul Thorn.

And, hey, American Idol auditions, too!!!

Click here if you want more info.

Soon, I'll put together some sort of master list of all the acts coming to the summer festivals in Alabama and Atlanta, if I can find the time.

The polls are open

This week's music poll is ready.

You know the drill, there at the top of the page on the right.

Point. Click. Vote.

Go ahead, go to Gadsden. But come back

It's not exactly breaking news here, but I've found the lineup for this year's Gadsden Riverfest to be quite interesting.

In case you haven't heard, here's the folks on the bill, in no particular order:

Clint Black
Billy Ocean
Sister Hazel
The Last Goodnight
Jeremy Lesley
Earl Thomas Conley
The Little River Band

It's interesting, too, that again and reworked soft-rockers REO Speedwagon were scheduled to headline the "rock" night of Riverfest, but for some reason the band cancelled some of its summer shows, including the one in Gadsden. (Gotta pull out "High Infidelity' ... ) Billy Ocean -- seriously -- was hired to replace Kevin Cronin and the boys.

The dates are June 13-14.

Read all about it here.

And here.

Live music, caught on tape

What do these guys have in common?

The Who.

Kiss.

Bruce Springsteen.

The Ramones.

Bob Dylan.

Daft Punk.

The Grateful Dead.

Wilco.

Phish.

U2.

Give up?

They're all on Rolling Stone's 25 greatest live albums of all time.

Let me admit this: I love live recordings. In most cases, I'd rather listen to a live recording than a studio one. It's a basic premise: I enjoy listening to the musicianship of pros when they're on stage. Can they pull it off? Do they miss their cues? Can they hit those crazy, insane notes that are easy to produce in the studio?

Anyway, the RS list is interesting. The rest of the list includes some Zeppelin, Johnny Cash (of course), and unless I missed it, it does not include Frampton Comes Alive!, which many consider the best of the arena rock live recordings of the 70s. There's also no heavy metal (Zeppelin doesn't count), and there is an acoustic recording of an influential grunge band. You can probably guess that one.

There's also another live recording that did not make their list, but I'll leave that rant for another time.

Oh well, check it our for yourself.

Going to the Temple

Anyone who follows rock music probably heard the recent news that Scott Weiland was booted out of Velvet Revolver. Too much weirdness. I think one of my mates has blogged about that.

Anyway, weird Weiland has rejoined Stone Temple Pilots -- a band I particularly like, but not love; especially the band's jazz-influenced guitar chords -- where apparently they have big, big plans.

Take this, Slash!

Phair enough

It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since Liz Phair released her indie smash "Exile in Guyville" - a record that would really set the tone not only for aggressive songwriting women in rock but the entire independant record label movement that would spawn everyone from Sonic Youth and Mudhoney to Soundgarden and Mazzy Star.

And it's still a nice, naughty low-fi gem that gets all too often overlooked, save for Phair who's been unable to escape its shadow despite a decent catalogue of follow-ups.

But Guyville is the record that she will always be compared against. And now it's getting its full due.

In June Guyville will be re-issued and remastered with bonus tracks and a cool documentary. It's an absolute necessity for anyone who knows Phair only by those cheesy ballads that have been paying the bills for far too long.

Read the whole story here: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003788441

stop singing 'bout your body

By nature, I'm not a prude. Unless certain situations force me to be prude-ish. Things, that, for example, involve my 11-year-old step daughter and the songs that she sings.

Like any precocious pre-teen, Sarah's all about whatever disposable pop music is getting heavy rotation on the radio (namely the Q and by "pop" I mean "booty shakin' music"). Most of it is fairly innocuous - or at least the sexual puns are way over her head.

Not so with Maria Carey's latest, "Touch my Body."

Again, I'm not easily offended, but my guard goes up when I see a little girl to whom I'm responsible for helping to mature into an intelligent, grounded and independent young woman, strutting around the kitchen purring lyrics like, "Touch my body/Put me on the floor/Wrestle me around/Play with me some more."

Oh no, that'll make a step-dad lose his ever-lovin' mind. But now, after we've told her not to sing the song and change the station if it comes on (which she does), she can't escape it. And now, it's not only stuck in her head but everyone else's in the house too.

Dang you Mariah!

Axl Rose delivers "Chinese Democracy" to Geffen

I'll believe it when I see it. Obviously there's a few tracks floating around the Net but it's almost hard to believe that this album could finally come to fruition.

From nme.com:

Guns N Roses have reportedly finished work on 'Chinese Democracy', the album that Axl Rose has been working on for the past 14 years.

Therockradio.com reports that Geffen Records, the band's record label, have confirmed they have received a finished copy of the album, and are currently haggling over money and rights issues with Rose.

Read more >>

Put a fork in him ...

It was one of those late-night moments that was so surreal as to be confused as a dream. Lying in bed, weighing through channel after channel of commercials, I happened across Meatloaf selling cell phones.

Before the point, first a confession - I'm something of a Meatloaf fan (both the singer and the hamburger loaf). Bat out of Hell, and heck, even Bat Out of Hell 11, had been guilty pleasures for a long, long time. Face it, Meatloaf can wail.

But this ... This commerical makes a mockery of selling out. It's a take-off of Meat's epic hit "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights," only it's a weird musical argument featuring Meat's kid (Mini-Meat) who wants a cell phone ... "let me sleep on it."

If it was done this badly, this cheesy on purpose - it's brilliant. If not, it just might be the worst commercial ever made.

check it out here

Elvis, live from the Garden

If you're a fan of all things Elvis -- count me as one of those, and not necessarily just because of his music -- then this is some cool news.

A few new photographs of The King have been found that document one of his legendary Madison Square Garden shows in New York in 1972. In some ways, there's nothing there that Elvis fans haven't seen before.

Nevertheless, it's still a neat view into his career -- and before his health and appearance declined so rapidly before his death in 1977.

Click here for more.

For 100 bucks, you can see the Spice Girls, too!

Courtesy of The AP and our friends at Pollstar.com -- this week's top concert tours.

All I will say is that the touring music biz is in an odd state of affairs when the top five on this list includes an aging 80s rock band and the Spice girls -- THE SPICE GIRLS!

See for yourself.

The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week’s ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.

1. (New) Bon Jovi; $2,615,869; $88.69.
2. (1) The Spice Girls; $1,665,476; $108.68.
3. (New) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; $1,373,761; $92.02.
4. (2) Van Halen; $1,256,744; $103.84.
5. (3) Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus “Best Of Both Worlds”; $1,020,975; $57.02.
6. (4) Rascal Flatts; $800,367; $71.24.
7. (New) Keith Urban / Carrie Underwood; $717,796; $67.33.
8. (6) Trans-Siberian Orchestra; $676,400; $42.32.
9. (7) Michael Buble; $594,741; $70.80.
10. (8) Mana; $594,018; $45.33.

For the rest of the list, click here and poke around.

I want my music good -- and free!

If you're old -- I started out with LPs and 8-tracks, for the record -- then this next story will hold special relevance. It's courtesy of Pollstar.com.

Will owning music go the way of 8-track tapes, Walkman cassette players and 78 rpm records? For most of the 20th century, music fans were often distinguished by their record collections, and those who found music to be an important part of their lives had shelves upon shelves of vinyl to prove their dedication to the art.

The author goes on to discuss the issue of paying for music vs. getting it for free. If you care about the future of the music industry -- if not for the artist, then for the consumer -- then read this little tome. It's worth your time.

Bite into THIS Apple

I ran across something this morning that absolutely boggled my mind.

Here's a snippet, courtesy of the AP and the LA Times:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Inc. has surpassed Wal-Mart to become America's No. 1 music store, the first time that a seller of digital downloads has ever beaten the big CD retailers.

I've blogged about this before. It's one of the top competitions in the music industry today -- who will dominate and rule the downloading part of the business. Looks like Apple's desire to rule the world is possible.

Read about it here. Send a thank-you card to the LA Times, too.

Go vote. It's an order.

The Star's new music poll has been uploaded. (Yes, it's right there on the right, at the top of the page.)

So do your duty. Now.

Um, sorry, Chicks ... You lose

So, let it be said.

"Goodbye Earl," the Dixie Chicks' ode to, well, you know, is not the "most notorious" country music song of all time. The Off the Record poll voters overwhelmingly said that's a joke.

Not sure what I'm talking about? Just look at our earlier posts on "notorious" country music songs, and you'll see what's up.

The future of country music

I'm not a huge expert on country music, but I have found a recent post on CMT's Web site to be fascinating.

Here's the intro:

So, are my Chicken Little friends, who say the sky is falling in terms of country music's quality, correct? Do they have a valid argument? I think we should look at the record over several years and compare things before coming to a decision.

It's a great read. Check it out if you care about the current state of country music, as I know many of The Star's readers do.

Download this

If you like to download music, there may be another top-flight option for you soon.

MySpace has announced its new music service, which could allow it to compete with iTunes in this lucrative market.

Read about it here, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.

Jay-Z's going to the bank

If you happen to know Jay-Z -- really, if you happen to know Jay-Z -- you might want to give him a shout and see if he can help you out with the mortgage payment this month.

He's apparently now a very, very, very, very rich man.

R.E.M lets fans mix their own video

Apparently, this listener interactivity fad has just started. (see post on Radiohead)

Fans can mix their own video for R.E.M.'s new single "Supernatural Superserious." You can choose from 11 video tracks of R.E.M. doing various things around NYC and splice them together.

I've got mixed feelings about all this. Part of the talent of any musical group is their ability to make a complete package to sell to the fans. Letting the fans customize seems like a rip off. Commentary Editor Philip Tutor likened it to Picasso allowing people to rearrange his art.

On the other hand, it's a great way to waste a couple of hours ...

Read the full story here.

If you want to check out the song, here's a non-mixable video of R.E.M playing "Supernatural Superserious" on last night's Colbert Report.

still hangin'

Say it ain't so ...

The original boy band (well, maybe not the actual original that was like the Jackson 5, but at least the 80s version of the original boyband) are getting back together again.

That's right, New Kids On The Block, better known as NKOTB, have put aside their difference, realized their indivudal failures and are reuniting. God help us all.

And it's apparently the whole band - even the little one and Donnie, the rebel, (now better known as Mark, don't call me "Marky" Walhberg's older brother). The whole gang apparently plans to tour and force a new album upon an apathetic public that's finally reached puberty.

Though they promise to do the old material, it's the moves that'll be hard to reproduce. After all, Donnie's an actor and Jonathan Knight (the quiet one) has been a real estate developer for 20 years.

Still, how much fun will it be to watch these now over-40 performers do that weird New Kid Dance?

Read the whole story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23938704/

McClellan tickets are now on sale

Since everyone in Calhoun County has been counting down the days for this announcement, Off the Record proudly delivers this news today:

Music at McClellan tickets are now on sale.

Yep, it's true. Read about it here.

Here's the schedule and the ticket info:

Concerts:

May 24 — Stars & Stripes Pops

May 31 — Harry Potter & Friends

June 7 — ABBA: The Hits

June 14 — Classics Under the Stars

Costs:

Gate tickets — $25

Children (4-12) — $5

Children (3 and under) — Free

Advance tickets — $20

* Anytime tickets — $60

Scott Weiland out of Velvet Revolver

Scott Weiland wasn't too bad as Velvet Revolver's frontman. The other band members' reasons for giving him the boot are not new characteristics of the beleaguered singer. It seems odd that they would have thought he would become a good boy after hiring him ... and stay that way.

According to www.rte.ie, guitarist Slash said in a statement: "This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn't 100% committed to either."

Read more >>

Radiohead is at it again

Radiohead has taken another step in changing the music industry.

"Nude," the second single off their newest album In Rainbows, is now available in isolated tracks on iTunes (i.e. guitar track, bass track, drum track). Fans can buy each track and remix their own version of "Nude" in Garageband.

The biggest catch with this new promotion: Each track costs 99 cents. So you're spending about 5 bucks to make a remix. (FYI: The original mix only costs 99 cents)

Fans can then upload their remix and have Myspace and Facebook users vote on it. There is no prize, but Radiohead says they'll listen to the best mixes.

Any thoughts on this? Is it just another money-making scheme?

Click here for more information and to listen to some remixes.