Entries from November 2005 ↓

from RollingStone.com:

Until recently, Deadheads could download countless live recordings of the band for free from third-party sites, including the popular Live Music Archive (archive.org), which once hosted nearly 3,000 Grateful Dead shows. All of the downloads were pulled last week at the request of Grateful Dead Merchandising (GDM), the group that handles official products for the band and is overseen by its surviving members…

…Deadheads have answered in protest. In an online petition, fans have pledged to boycott GDM — including CDs and concert tickets — until the decision is reversed…

…GDM recently began selling live music downloads through its online store. The sudden lockdown could be a simple non-compete strike, or it could foreshadow a long-rumored deal with iTunes that will make the entire Grateful Dead live vault available for purchase…

…Fans were incensed that the policy change applies not only to official soundboards but audience recordings as well.

Now, I have no problem with them pulling the soundboards, as those are the best recordings of the shows, and there is an obvious market for those. They are ultimately the band’s property, as they were recorded using the band’s sound equipment. However, high quality audience tapings should stay up there, if purely for archival purposes. The boycott seems a bit much, but then, apart from my Skull & Roses iPod skin, I haven’t given GDM a dime in five years. Perhaps that’s the problem right there.

UPDATE 12/1 -

from cnn.com:

After the Grateful Dead angered some of its biggest fans by asking a nonprofit Web site to halt the free downloading of its concert recordings, the jam band changed its mind Wednesday.

Internet Archive, a site that catalogues content on Web sites, reposted recordings of Grateful Dead concerts for download after the surviving members of the band decided to make them available again.

Band spokesman Dennis McNally said the group was swayed by the backlash from fans, who for decades have freely taped and traded the band’s live performances.

“The Grateful Dead remains as it always has — in favor of tape trading,” McNally said.

He said the band consented to making audience recordings available for download again, although live recordings made directly from concert soundboards, which are the legal property of the Grateful Dead, should only be made available for listening from now on.

Isn’t that exactly what I said yesterday? Damn I’m smart!

Dave alerted me to the release this morning. Check out his site for an excellent review and a link to download.

Mr. Zog’s Firefox 1.5 Review

Arsenal’s reserves show Reading that despite being top of the Coke League, they’re not quite ready for the big time, as the Gunners win this afternoon’s Carling Cup 4th round tie 3-0.

Jose Antonio Reyes opened the scoring 12 minutes in. Robin van Persie scored - AGAIN - his eighth goal in as many games. The man is on fire. Arturo Lupoli added the third just moments after coming on for Van Persie midway through the second half.

I’m not sure who the Gunners will face in the 1/4’s, but one team who won’t be there is Aston Villa, who lost 3-0 to Third Division side Doncaster. It’s the biggest win in Doncaster’s history, and what’s even more shocking is that Villa manager, and former Gunner, David O’Leary, fielded a first-team side. Gooners around the world can’t help but have a bit of a laugh at O’Leary’s expense despite his being an Arsenal old-boy. You see, back when O’Leary was manager of Leeds United, he used to talk lots of shit about Arsenal, and always directed his players to play dirty. So excuse me for a minute….

“HA HA!”

So, Arsenal now travel to Bolton to take on Wanderers on Saturday. The match is on PPV here in the States and kicks off at 10 AM ET.

From 40 yards: CUT JAY FEELY!

From 54 yards: CUT JAY FEELY!

Oh, and from 45 yards: CUT JAY FEELY!

Robin van Persie scored an absolutely stunning goal to clinch it, while Thierry Henry scored his 100th Highbury goal as the Gunners defeated Blackburn 3-0 earlier today.

Cesc Fabregas opened the scoring just four minutes in, latching on to a loose ball outside the penalty area and powering it into the lower right hand side of goal.

The score does flatter Arsenal somewhat, as they were made to work by Blackburn, who repeatedly attacked the weaker left side patrolled by the hopelessly lost Pascal Cygan. Why Arsene Wenger insists on playing Cygan in a position in which he is so clearly uncomfortable is beyond me.

In any event, it’s a another three points, and with Wigan’s loss to Sp*rs, the Gunners now sit second in the league, 11 points behind Chel$ki with a game in hand. ManUre play West Ham tomorrow, and could move up to second themselves with a win.

Speaking of ManUre, ex-United player and footballing legend George Best passed away yesterday in west London. Best was a sublime footballer, perhaps the best to ever come out of Britain. He was famously quoted once as saying, “I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered.” He quit ManUre at the age of 26, and while he played for a few more years at different, smaller clubs, including a stint in the United States, it was apparent that his “champange lifestyle” was effecting his performance on the pitch. His alcoholism had taken the game from Best, and it took Best from the game. It ultimately led to his death from multiple organ failure. He was 59.

Arsenal next take to the pitch on Tuesday against Reading in the Worthless Cup. My guess is that we’ll see Robin van Persie (who came on as a late sub today) lead a young Gunners side for this fourth round tie. Kickoff is @ 2:45 PM ET.

Last night, Brian, Karen, Wooly, Becky, Dreea, Mitchell, Steve and I headed up to Grape Street Pub in Manyunk to attend the Fourth Annual Turkey Testical Festival. The main attraction was our new favorite, Don McCloskey.