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Archive for November, 2009

Oracle, Sun Will Face New EC Antitrust Official

Neelie Kroes, the commission’s hard-nosed Competition Commissioner for the last five years, will be assigned to a new job when her term in the antitrust office expires in January. The EC, which is the law enforcement body of the European Union, is due to make a decision on whether to sanction Oracle’s $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun on Jan. 27, 2010, so Oracle can continue to do business in Europe.
– By the time a decision is made about whether a combined Oracle and Sun
Microsystems corporation can do business in the 27 European Union countries, a
new official will be serving as the chief antitrust watchdog at the European
Commission.

The EC said Nov. 30 that Neelie Kroes, the commission’s…


Music on the Tube: 11/30 – 12/6

Late Night Music Lineups



Can’t make it to any shows this week? Check out live music on the tube…

Late Show with David Letterman

Mon, November 30 – Weezer (Repeat)

Tue, December 1 – Carrie Underwood (Repeat)

Wed, December 2 – The Cribs (Repeat)

Thu, December 3 – Mika (Repeat)
Fri, December 4 – Brad Paisley (Repeat)


Jay Leno Show


Thu, December 3 – Maxwell

Fri, December 4 – Taylor Swift


The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien


Tue, December 1 – Rickie Lee Jones
Thu, December 3 – Rod Stewart


Jimmy Kimmel Live


Mon, November 30 – Death Cab for Cutie (Repeat)
Wed, December 2 – Jay Sean
Thu, December 3 – Honor Society
Fri, December 4 – Band of Skulls


Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson


Tue, December 1 – The Swell Season


Late Night with Jimmy Fallon


Tue, December 1 – The Avett Brothers (Repeat)
Wed, December 2 – Obits (Repeat)
Fri, December 4 – Wale (Repeat)


Last Call With Carson Daly


Mon, November 30 – Bat For Lashes (Repeat)
Tue, December 1 – Cold War Kids (Repeat)
Wed, December 2 – Lily Allen (Repeat)
Thu, December 3 – Phoenix (Repeat)
Fri, December 4 – Keane (Repeat)


Other Shows of Interest


Sat, December 5 – Saturday Night Live w/ musical guest Rihanna


Economist: “What Passes For Help To Homeowners In The Capitol Might Look More Like Handing Out Money To Banks Anywhere Else”

PhD economist Dean Baker makes an interesting point in a new essay:The big talk in Washington these days is “helping homeowners”. Unfortunately, what passes for help to homeowners in the capitol might look more like handing out money to banks anywhere …

Taylor Momsen Furious Leighton Meester’s Music Gets Spins On “Gossip Girl” While Her Own Tracks Are Snubbed

There’s a mayjah catfight brewing between two of the hottest socialites on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. These days, the drama on The CW’s cult favorite Gossip Girl hangs around long after the cameras have stopped rolling, TV industry tattles tell Hollywood Life.com. Word is 16-year-old beauty Taylor Momsen is green with envy that G.G. co-star [...]

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: New Album and Tour Announced

BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB TAKES FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM INTO OWN HANDS
Beat The Devil’s Tattoo Due March 9, 2010 via Own Abstract Dragon/Vagrant Records

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is revving up to unleash their fifth studio album, Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, on March 9, 2010, signifying the band’s first full-length on their own Abstract Dragon, in partnership with Vagrant Records. This album welcomes exciting beginnings, including new drummer Leah Shapiro, as well as their new label, though the trio returned to the familiar setting of Philadelphia, PA to pen this record. They wrote and recorded it in the very studio that produced their widely acclaimed third LP, Howl, before returning to hometown L.A. to add the finishing touches.

The band’s accustomed globetrotting will recommence with an initial headline tour, kicking off February 26 in Sacramento and culminating at New York City’s Webster Hall on April 8. Pre-sale for all shows will start Wednesday, December 2, available here.

Known for their impassioned live performances, the band recently offered a two DVD, one CD set aptly titled, Live (Abstract Dragon/Vagrant), earlier this month. The DVDs feature more than two hours of concert footage captured from three sold out shows in Berlin, Dublin, and Glasgow, and chronicles the end of the band’s 2007 tour in support of Baby 81. Additionally, it includes intimate, behind-the-scenes footage, glimpses into the making of 2005′s Howl, and is rounded out with a bonus live album featuring 14 songs.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Tour Dates

02/26/10 Fri Harlow’s Sacramento, CA

02/27/10 Sat Knitting Factory Reno, NV

02/28/10 Sun Wasted Space @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV

03/02/10 Tue Ogden Theatre Denver, CO

03/04/10 Thu Knitting Factory Concert House Boise, ID

03/05/10 Fri Showbox at the Market Seattle, WA

03/06/10 Sat Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC

03/07/10 Sun Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR

03/09/10 Tue Slim’s San Francisco, CA

03/13/10 Sat House of Blues San Diego, CA

03/14/10 Sun Echoplex Los Angeles, CA

03/18/10 Thu House Of Blues Dallas, TX

03/20/10 Sat House of Blues Houston, TX

03/21/10 Sun Cain’s Ballroom Tulsa, OK

03/23/10 Tue The Pageant St. Louis, MO

03/24/10 Wed High Noon Saloon Madison, WI

03/25/10 Thu Metro Chicago, IL

03/26/10 Fri Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI

03/27/10 Sat First Avenue Minneapolis, MN

03/30/10 Tue Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH

03/31/10 Wed House Of Blues Cleveland, OH

04/01/10 Thu Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, ON

04/02/10 Fri La Tulipe Montreal, QC

04/03/10 Sat House of Blues Boston, MA

04/05/10 Mon 9:30 Club Washington, DC

04/07/10 Wed Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) Philadelphia, PA

04/08/10 Thu Webster Hall New York, NY


Matisyahu JamBase Tour Journal Volume 4 “Search For Truth”

Matisyahu JamBase Tour Journal: Volume 4 “Search For Truth”

For Volume 4 of our Matisyahu Tour Journal, we search for something deeper while on the road. This segment takes us through the streets of Lexington, KY and northward to Myrtle Beach, SC for live footage and audio throughout. Find out why Matisyahu is “A gateway drug into jam music…”

You can check out Volume 1 of the Tour Journal, where Matisyahu performs “One Day” at Sultan’s Pool in Jerusalem, here. And you can check out Volume 2 here, and Volume 3 here.

Check back soon for Volume 5 of the Matisyahu JamBase Tour Journal.

Matisyahu is on tour now; dates available here.


Spoon Moves Up Album Release First 2010 Dates Announced

SPOON ANNOUNCE FIRST DATES OF 2010 TOUR, TRANSFERENCE RELEASE DATE MOVED UP TO JANUARY 19

Spoon

Spoon has announced the first six dates of an extensive world tour in support of the band’s seventh album, Transference, now due out in the U.S. on Merge on January 19, 2010 and a day earlier in Europe on Anti-.

Produced by the band, Transference will be preceded by first single “Written In Reverse,” which will be released digitally December 1. A seven-inch vinyl release will follow on January 5 featuring the exclusive B-side “Mean Red Spider,” which will not be available digitally.

Spoon Tour Dates

12/03/09 Thu Midland Theatre Kansas City, MO

12/04/09 Fri Orpheum Theatre Boston, MA

12/11/09 Fri The Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR

12/12/09 Sat RIMAC Arena San Diego, CA

12/31/09 Thu Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI

02/14/10 Sun King Tuts Glasgow, GB

02/15/10 Mon Academy 3 Manchester, GB

02/16/10 Tue Electric Ballroom London, GB

02/18/10 Thu The Paradiso Amsterdam, NL

02/19/10 Fri Luxor Koln, GER

02/20/10 Sat FrannzClub Berlin, GER


Groove Armada: Black Light

GROOVE ARMADA SET TO RELEASE BLACK LIGHT FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Groove Armada

Andy Cato and Tom Findlay, better known together as Groove Armada, will release their sixth studio album, Black Light, February 23, 2010 in the U.S. The album, which features an impressive list of guest artists, represents a bold new phase in the duo’s artistic evolution, while maintaining a signature Groove Armada style that fans have come to know and love.

Drawing inspiration from Lovebox – their award-winning London festival featuring bands like the Friendly Fires, Klaxons, LCD Soundsystem, Ladyhawke, and MGMT – the band has taken their songwriting in an unexpected and original direction. “We could’ve knocked out an album of reggae-influenced house bangers and a couple of chill-out tunes, and that would’ve been a much easier life,” explains Andy. “But we needed a new challenge. Neither of us was interested in just repeating ourselves.”

The bands at Lovebox, however, played a large part in bringing the band back towards their influences. “They’re the ones really leading the charge, making genuinely exciting, dance-informed music. And that sound really pushed us back towards people like David Bowie, Gary Numan, New Order, Fleetwood Mac, and Roxy Music.”

Listening to Roxy Music’s classic “Love Is A Drug” on repeat during the recording sessions for Black Light led to the ultimate coup for Groove Armada, as Roxy Music’s vocalist Bryan Ferry lends his vocals to the track “Shameless.” Other standout guest stars on Black Light include SaintSaviour, who has been described as a cross between Kate Bush and Anthony & The Johnsons, as well as Brooklyn She Keeps Bees songstress Jess Larabee, and Nick Littlemore from the Aussie electronic sensation Empire of the Sun, who collaborates vocally on several of the album’s tracks.

Groove Armada couldn’t be more proud of Black Light. “It’s amazing to make a record at this point in your career that you’re viscerally excited about,” says Tom. “But that’s honestly how I feel.” Andy is quick to agree, “I think even people who’ve hated everything we’ve ever made before could absolutely love this record. I’m incredibly proud of it. If I could leave just one album of ours behind, there is absolutely no question as to which one it would be.”

“I Won’t Kneel,” the first single from Black Light, features a scintillating vocal from SaintSaviour, The track is currently available on iTunes, along with remixes by Mock & Toof, Bloody Beetroots, and more.

Groove Armada tour dates available here. And for more on Groove Armada, see our exclusive feature/interview here.


Small Business PR Help & Lessons From A Celebrity

We here at UnderstandingMarketing.com hate to pile on to all the talk surrounding Tiger Woods and his “accident” that occurred during the Thanksgiving holiday. But since it could potentially be small business PR help and a case study that entrepreneurs can learn from, we’ll have no choice but to join in on the discussion.
For those [...]

Small Business PR Help & Lessons From A Celebrity

We here at UnderstandingMarketing.com hate to pile on to all the talk surrounding Tiger Woods and his “accident” that occurred during the Thanksgiving holiday. But since it could potentially be small business PR help and a case study that entrepreneurs can learn from, we’ll have no choice but to join in on the discussion.
For those [...]

Glide OS 4.0 Offers Google, Bing Search

Transmedia Dec. 7 will launch Glide OS 4.0, a fresh version of the company’s Web operating system for computers. Glide OS 4.0 is a browser plug-in that sits in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Microsoft Internet Explorer, allowing users to access their computer applications. Glide OS 4.0 also includes Transmedia’s collaboration apps. Glide OS 4.0 has a search box and lets users manage their personal files, search results and other online content on their computers. Any local content and files are mirrored in the cloud. The software’s new features are highlighted in this eWEEK slide show.
– …


NASA Finds Tranquility with a View

NASA is prepping what will be the last major component to be added to the International Space Station in February. The Tranquility node will provide additional room for crew members and come with an attached cupola offering views from six windows on the sides and one on top.
– NASA has officially taken possession of the Tranquility node, which will be
the last major component set to be added to the International Space Station. When
delivered to the ISS in February by the space shuttle Endeavour, the
pressurized node will provide additional room for crew members and man…


Starent Settles Suit over Cisco Bid

Starent Networks, which Cisco Systems wants to buy for $2.9 billion, settles one of several lawsuits seeking to block the sale. Starent agreed to provide more information to shareholders in exchange for the suit being dropped. There are more lawsuits that have been filed involving the proposed sale. Starent would help Cisco with its mobile Internet plans.
– Starent Networks has removed at least some of the legal hurdles in the way
of Cisco Systems’ efforts to buy the company.
Starent on Nov. 27 settled a class action lawsuit that was filed by
shareholders unhappy with the proposed
$2.9 billion acquisition by Cisco, which was announced Oct. 13.
The…


Grady Sizemore Pictures Stolen From Brittany Binger E-Mail Account

Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore has enlisted the help of investigators with Major League Baseball to halt further publication of a set of steamy snaps he says were stolen from his girlfriend’s e-mail account and posted online, The Associated Press said Monday.
In a series of humiliating pictures — which were sent to Playboy Playmate [...]

IBM Confirms Acquisition of Database Security Vendor Guardium

After initially refusing to comment, IBM gives in and confirms reports that it is acquiring Guardium. The acquisition brings Guardium’s database activity monitoring and data security capabilities into IBM’s software portfolio.
– IBM officials confirmed Nov.
30 that the company has acquired Guardium for its database security and
activity monitoring technology.
IBM did not disclose
the financial terms of the deal, but there are reports that the acquisition
cost the company $225 million. The acquisition is the 28th purch…


Frmr. member of illegal group says he “killed for Thaci”

Former illegal Kosovo Information Service (SHIK) member Nazim Blaca claims that he participated in serious crimes “against political opponents”. Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s party stood behind the crimes, that included murder, Blaca said.

Tiger Woods Pulls Out Of Chevron World Challenge Golf Tournament

Tiger Woods has cancelled plans to attend his own golf tournament because of injuries he suffered in mysterious one-car crash outside his Florida home early Friday, the pro golfer said in a statement Monday.
Woods will not play or appear at this weekend’s Chevron World Challenge in California, his last scheduled competition of 2009.
“I am [...]

The Mars Volta: Another New Drummer

The Mars Volta: Another New Drummer

The Mars Volta

Following a cancelled show last month in Raleigh, NC, rumors have been flying about the state of The Mars Volta.

Word is that drummer Thomas Pridgen, the band’s skin basher since 2007, walked out of a rehearsal in Raleigh following an argument with vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala. Pridgen confirmed leaving the band on Facebook (thanks to antiquiet.com for the JPG) where he said: “I’m not in TMV anymore but it’s all good. I’m 25, I’ve done enough now not to have to be someone’s employee… I feel more free, honestly it’s a good feeling.”

The circumstances behind Pridgen’s departure are familiar to those who have been following the band’s evolution. Previous drummer Jon Theodore left in a similar manner. Bottom line seems to be it’s Omar and Cedric’s way, or the highway.

Dave Elitch has replaced Pridgen and is currently touring with the band in Europe.

Here’s a clip from last night’s show (11.29, Norway) featuring Elitch:

The Mars Volta tour dates are available here.

For more on the internal operations of The Mars Volta, check our exclusive feature/interview with bandleader Omar Rodriguez Lopez here.


Lady Gaga Falls [VIDEO]

J. Lo isn’t the only stage star nursing a bruised bottom this month: Lady Gaga was left red-faced after slipping and falling on her backside during opening night of her The Monster Ball Tour in Montreal last Friday.

The pop star was performing her song Teeth at the Bell Centre when she lost her footing in [...]

Amazon Boasts Best-Ever Kindle Sales Month

For its Kindle e-reader, Amazon announced that November was the best sales month ever. The announcement came as Sony and Barnes Noble are struggling to get their e-readers, the Daily Edition and the Nook, on shelves for holiday shoppers.
– Amazon has announced that November was the “best sales month ever” for its Kindle e-Reader even before the arrival of Web-surfing-heavy Cyber Monday, the first Monday after the long Thanksgiving weekend.

While not specifying what those “best ever” sales number were, Ian Freed, vice president…