U2 signs 12-year deal with Live Nation
U2 has signed a 12-year deal with concert promoter Live Nation, cementing a partnership that began in the late '90s. The new agreement gives Live Nation global rights to the band’s merchandising, touring, digital and branding areas, the company’s president and CEO Michael Rapino announced this morning. The deal does not include any recording or publishing rights, which fall under the band’s contract with Universal Music Group. The deal with U2 comes less than six months after Live Nation announced a watershed all-inclusive agreement with Madonna. The artist was rumored to have left Warner Music Group after the label refused... read more
Baseball Music Project sets summer concert dates, cities
At the mention of the word “baseball,” you think Big League Chew, sunny summer days and that crack of the bat as one goes flying out of the park. But what about, you know, music? Here at Paste, it's our job to think about all things in the context of music, and the glorious combination of two of our favorite things actually happens more often than you might think. Case in point: The Baseball Music Project. Back in 2004, a group of music professionals with “a nearly uncontainable love and passion for both baseball and music,” got together with the... read more
Flaming Lips, Strokes, PB&J, Cure, more set for MLB2K8
A partnership between video gamers 2K Sports and Pitchfork has resulted in one of the cooler video game soundtracks in recent years. 2K recruited P4K to select half of the music to be featured in Major League Baseball 2K8, available this Spring. A mix of older artists, new artists and older artists with new stuff make this a pleasing collection of music that will surely enhance the gaming experience. The line-up includes such veterans and well-known artists as Dinosaur Jr, The Cure, The Cars, The Strokes, The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse. On the newer side are artists such as... read more
All Björk, all the time: new video, compilation
It's like Christmas in April for Björk fans. No, she didn’t demand independence for another national liberation movement. Instead, she released a jaw-dropping music video for "Wanderlust." Although we’ll still have to wait a week for the 3-D version, you can feast your eyes on the 2-D premiere over at Yahoo Music. You can also hop on over to Bjork’s website and watch the The Making of "Wanderlust" video or pick up a pair of free 3-D glasses courtesy of your favorite Icelandic pop star. Elsewhere on the web, our buddies over at Stereogum also recently released Enjoyed: A Tribute... read more
Mos Def cast as Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records
Whatever they’re paying Mos Def’s agent, it’s not enough. Fresh off his high-profile performance in Be Kind, Rewind, the mighty Mos has recently been cast as Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records, the upcoming film on the rise and fall of the influential Chicago label Chess Records. Alongside him, Adrien Brody will play label founder Leonard Chess, Cedric The Entertainer will portray session musician Willie Dixon, Eamonn Walker will play Howlin’ Wolf, and, as previously reported, Beyoncé Knowles will do her best Etta James. Knowles will also contribute four songs to the soundtrack, though there's no word on whether they’ll be... read more
Film to chronicle life of Brooklyn Dodger Gene Moore
White Light Entertainment and MediaOne Ventures will be co-producing the upcoming film Playing With The Enemy, which chronicles the life of professional baseball player Gene Moore. The film’s production promises to be a family affair. The professional baseballer’s son Gary Moore based the screenplay on his 2006 book Playing With The Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams. Moore’s grandson, actor Toby Moore, co-wrote the screenplay with his father, and will be playing his grandfather in the film. Playing With The Enemy tells the extraordinary story of Gene Moore, a talented young catcher... read more
Tom Petty reunites Mudcrutch for new album, shows
Before the Heartbreakers, there was Mudcrutch. A less appealing name perhaps, but Mudcrutch, Tom Petty’s original band, recently reunited for a new album. The group has finished recording, and in promotion of the new release (available April 29), has announced a number of intimate California shows this spring. Petty fronted Mudcrutch in the early '70s after dropping out of high school at age 17 to join the band made up of guitarist Tom Leadon, drummer Randall Marsh, future Heartbreakers’ keyboardist Bemmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell. The group gained a following and fan base out of its native Florida, but... read more
Low, Liars, more play with Radiohead at Spanish tribute fest
Although arguably no different than any of the other festivals Radiohead will play this year, this time, the band is getting a fest in its honor. Proving perhaps the most Radiohead-centric tourstop of all for the guys, June 12 at the Parc Del Forum in Barcelona, Spain, will see performances from Bat for Lashes, ENEMC (Ensemble Nacional de Música Contemporánea de España presenting "Off Computer," music based on Johnny Greenwood songs) Low, Clinic, Modeselektor and Liars (who have recently had to reschedule their European tour), as well as the band itself. Radiohead fansite At Ease explains that the one-day festival... read more
The Weepies give away Hideaway info
Good news for all of the folky folk out there: The Weepies (yes, that was them singing in that Old Navy commercial. Knew it!) will be releasing their third album, Hideaway, on April 22. Hideaway will have 14 new tracks of the sweet harmonies and melodies for which the Boston-born, California-based duo are loved. The name of the album was inspired by their need for some rest and relaxation at home after The Weepies’ exhausting 2006-2007 tour schedule. And you, dear reader, are 123% likely to know much more about The Weepies and the aforementioned album if you pick up... read more
Final Grand Theft Auto IV trailer revealed
As the suspense builds for the sure-to-be-epic Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar Games has made the wait a little more difficult with the release of the fourth and final trailer for the game. If you think that game trailers are now more cinematic than their actual screened-in-movie-theater-because-they-advertise-movies counterparts, you’re right. This one even has a name two names: “Good Lord, What Are You Doing?” AKA “Everyone’s a Rat.” Somehow, this trailer manages to impress despite (because of?) the blistering car chases, decontextualized gunplay, a moody soundtrack, omnipresent rain, flashy camera angles, misplaced humor, gangster-looking gangsters and strippers that seem mandatory... read more
Paste celebrates the start of Major League Baseball 2008
In honor of the new baseball season, which began last night but kicks off in earnest today, PasteMagazine.com is dedicating itself all day to America's Favorite Pastime. Not only are we giving you an early glimpse of our baseball and music feature from issue 42 (complete with the best songs about baseball, Ricky Henderson haikus and much more!), but we have a baseball movie poll up (see left margin or here) and will be highlighting baseball news in the world of entertainment all day. Check back frequently for more updates, and be sure to get out there and root for... read more
James Hunter to join Starbucks label The Hard Way
When you think about it (maybe a little too much), British soulster James Hunter joining Starbucks' Hear Music label "the hard way" sounds like it would entail eating various animal organs while balancing on a jet a la Fear Factor. Hunter's trek to releasing his new album, incidentally called The Hard Way, on the coffee imprint was probably much simpler. We journalists just happen to like working terrible puns into our headlines. Hunter will join Sir Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, amongst others, on the label with his upcoming release, due in June. The new album, produced by Liam Watson... read more
Ira Glass to bring This American Life to a theater near you
Radio and television host Ira Glass will be bringing his show This American Life to the silver screen for a one-night only event of exclusive material, special guests and Q&A. On the evening of May 1, This American Life Live! will be broadcast via satellite to theaters across the country from New York University’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Glass will be debuting never-before-seen stories and outtakes from his show, and answering questions from the audience. Several special, currently unnamed guests will also make appearances. This American Life debuted on Chicago airwaves in 1995. Glass eschewed interviews with celebrities... read more
Rock Hall honors baseball's best music...also, Baha Men
You can argue all day about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's credibility (or lack thereof). The Sex Pistols called the hall a piss stain in 2004, and its latest class of inductees certainly includes some not-so-rockin' rockers. But we think future naysayers will point to the moment those Cleveland rock appreciators decided to allow "Who Let The Dogs Out?" through their hallowed doors. As a part of its upcoming "Take Me Out: Baseball Rocks!" exhibit, the Hall will include the Baha Men hit alongside music celebrating America's favorite pastime. Why? Well, according to the press release, because the... read more
U.S. anthem scores several covers on MLB Opening Day
Francis Scott Key probably never knew he'd become the most covered American artist in history when he set a patriotic hymn based on his prisoner-of-war experiences to a pub song. As it turns out, thousands of Americans will hear different versions of the “Star Spangled Banner” before the umpire shouts “Play ball!” in opening games across the country today. So to satisfy the sports fans in all of us, here is a mostly comprehensive list of the artists performing the national anthem this week: Atlanta Braves (vs. Pittsburgh — 7:10 p.m.) Performing the anthem: Former American Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo... read more
What is the greatest baseball movie of all time?
The 2008 Major League Baseball season begins this week. In honor of this occasion, what is your favorite baseball movie of all time? [1652 votes total] The Bad News Bears (1976) (138): 8% Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars (1976) (8): 0% Bull Durham (1988) (273): 17% Eight Men Out (1988) (67): 4% Field of Dreams (1989) (379): 23% A League of Their Own (1992) (185): 11% Major League (1989) (218): 13% The Natural (1984) (238): 14% The Pride of the Yankees (1942) (40): 2% Other (106): 6% Full Results Comments... read more
Oldest recording of human voice discovered
[Above: The 1859 model of Scott's phonautograph. Source: Franz Josef Pisko, Die neuere Apparate der Akustik (Vienna, 1865).] The words aren't clearly discernible. Even if they were, they're in French, so us uni-lingual, on-French types are out of luck. But the simple folk song excerpt, "Au clair de la lune, Pierrot répondit," sung by a woman in her quiet, warbly voice, packs worlds of meaning. It's the oldest voice anyone living now has ever heard. This particular recording predates what was previously considered the oldest by 17 years, MSNBC reports. Discovered recently by audio historians David Giovannoni and Patrick Feaster,... read more
The Black Keys go through "Strange Times"
No foolin': this April began with great news as The Black Keys released their second album on Nonesuch Records, Attack & Release (produced by none other than one half of this month’s cover story, Danger Mouse). But before you get all, "Yeah, yeah, Paste, I know. I read your review too, so don't even try to point me toward it," have you seen the first video from the album? Have you?!? It's for "Strange Times," and frankly, we think it's pretty neat. The clip features the duo going special-ops on what should have been a kid friendly game of laser... read more
Film adaptation of The Informers nixes vampires
Fans of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel The Informers may be surprised to see a few of their favorite characters missing when the film adaptation hits the big screen later this year. The Informers tells the interlocking stories of several wealthy, morally bankrupt families living in Los Angeles during the early 1980s. Gregor Jordan is directing the film, starring Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Billy Bob Thornton, Amber Heard and the late Brad Renfro, in his last theatrical role. The most unconventional storyline in Ellis’ original novel involved the character Jamie, a sadistic vampire who liked to lure club-hopping teenagers... read more
John Legend to headline Indy Jazz Fest
The American Pianists Association announced neo-soul star and pianist John Legend has replaced Aretha Franklin as headliner for the Kroger Indy Jazz Fest in Indianapolis planned for Father’s Day weekend, June 13-15. Legend has come a long way since 2004 when he was known mainly as coveted studio session man turned Kanye West protégé. He spent years playing and writing for artists such as Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and, most importantly, West, who snatched him up and signed him to his new label. The association with West surely helped spread the appeal of Legend’s debut studio album Get Lifted.... read more
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