The Wonderful World of Rock
It’s been floating around for awhile that Paul McCartney has been looking for a way to wrangle rights to the Beatles’ back catalogue from one-time friend Michael Jackson. As one of the richest musicians in the world you’d expect that Sir Paul has the funds to make a complete purchase of the tunes, but the ex-Beatle decided it would be a better plan to wait for the original agreement that sold the rights to expire, after which the songs will come back to him.
Jackson’s past licensing of Beatles numbers for use in commercials has bothered many fans of the hit group, many of whom are anxious for the songs to return to their rightful owner.
According to nme.com, McCartney had some soothing words for them. “[That] suits my personality: just hang on, be patient, it’s cool. Don’t get your knickers in a twist,” the feisty senior wisecracked.
Jackson’s financial troubles are likely to be compounded by his loss of the lucrative songs, which he is unlikely to be able to buy back.
After months of uncertainty about the future of the famed New York City club CBGB’s, the law has intervened on the venue’s side, granting it a last-minute extension in its fight with its landlords. Earlier this year the building’s rent skyrocketed to over $40,000 due to the growth of the neighborhood and its transformation from a hobo-infested slum to a trendy New York nightspot. This led the owners of the structure to battle for the club’s eviction. But on Aug. 10, Civil Court Judge Joan Kenney ruled that “CBGB has proven itself worthy of being recognized as a landmark,” refusing the eviction petition and noting that the landlords didn’t notice the supposed back rent owed by them for the past four years. Despite this reprieve, the club’s future still hangs in the balance. The club’s contract expired on Aug. 31, and negotiations for a renewal are yet to be concluded. Until then the fate of the venue, considered to be the birthplace of punk music, hangs in the balance. Aug. 31 will also see a benefit concert and a rally in Washington Square Park to help save the historic club.
Mudhoney is back in the studio recording the follow-up to 2002’s Since We’ve Become Translucent. They will also play three in-concert recreations of their first full length Superfuzz Bigmuf. But don’t get excited, these shows are England-only. Odds are that you weren’t excited anyway, but you should be, since a new Mudhoney album isn’t something that happens every day. It’s not like the Melvins, who have a million albums, or Nirvana, who will never have another. Even Jonathan Poneman, founder of Sub Pop – the label Mudhoney currently resides on – is abuzz about the new record. “The stuff I’ve heard is amazing. It’s more political than they have been. It’s not overtly political, like protest songs, but it is great Mudhoney,” he said to Billboard. Hopefully, Mudhoney will be able to translate politics well into their music without turning it into some kind of horrible hack job like Green Day’s “Wake Me When September Ends,” certifiably the worst song of the summer, or becoming too much like MC5. Keep your fingers crossed.
