Update: Help Make The Impossible Possible

Last month, I wrote a brief entry about Kim Boekbinder (A.K.A. The Impossible Girl) and her potentially paradigm shifting take on the future of live performances.  Well, after a successful pilot event in NYC, The Impossible Girl has embraced her new live music model and launched a multi-date, fan driven tour.

I'm really hoping Kim's pre-sold tour is successful, as it could help revolutionize touring/live music; putting power back in the hands of fan bases and money back in the hands of artists (and away from scalpers/promoters).

Below is Kim's press release and links to the Kickstarter pages for each prospective Impossible Tour date.  If you live in one of these areas, buy a ticket (at the bargain price of $10) and enjoy a memorable event (I couldn't attend the NYC show, but I purchased the live feed/high-quality digital download - and loved it).  If you can't make a show, help her out by spreading the word.  Live music fans everywhere stand to benefit from the precedent she's attempting to set.

If you want to hear some of her music before committing, try either her website or this link, which has a nice collection of her hits. 

TicketMasters: How the Public Got Scalped

I just finished this thorough explanation of the volatile and often-times illegal business practices the TicketMaster/Live Nation conglomerate and its progeny use to rake in dollars at the expense of live music fans.  Budnick and Baron's analysis of "secondary ticketing" (otherwise know as coordinated scalping) is equal parts eye-opening and sickening.  


The large portion of the book explaining how ticket brokers like StubHub, ViaGoGo, and the like are able to skirt anti-scalping efforts and earn hundreds of millions of dollars from buying up good seats early and selling them at premium prices is only slightly less aggravating than its revelation that TicketMaster (and certain artists) have historically partnered with scalpers to turn a larger prophet. 

Hit the jump to read the book's press release:

Tightrope

I know I'm late to the party, but I wanted to share my obsession with OutKast prodigy Janelle Monae.  Check out this video and tell me you don't feel woefully uncool in comparison:

Just Kids

Patti smith is writing a screenplay based on her nationally lauded autobiography.  I love Smith, but I'm not at all biased when I say her recounting of a lifetime spent with ground-breaking photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is one of the most heartbreakingly honest non-fiction tales I've ever come across.  I don't often toss around book recommendations, but if you have any interest in the gritty, 60's/70's New York art scene (Warhol, Ginsberg, Dylan, Shepard, CBGB's, Hotel Chelsea, etc.), then this is a must read. 

The Man with the Electro-Pop Debut

From Pitchfork.  I hope Lynch's long-time pal Trent Reznor had some input on the album.  Also Glad Karen O is recording again.  We're about due for another Yeah Yeah Yeahs record.

Photo by Mark Berry

We've been hearing about it for a long time, and now it's finally here: David Lynch's solo album of electronic pop. Here's the first thing you need to know about this album: It's calledCrazy Clown Time. And here's the second thing: It features guest vocals from Yeah Yeah Yeahs leader Karen O on a song called "Pinky's Dream". Those are two very good reasons to get excited.

Crazy Clown Time arrives November 8 from Sunday Best Recordings. (In the U.S., it will be co-released by PIAS America.) Lynch wrote, produced, and performed the entire thing with help from engineer Dean Hurley, who also plays guitar and drums on several songs.

Below, listen to the early single "Good Day Today" and check out the album's tracklist. Read our interview with Lynch about his music here.

Crazy Clown Time:

David Lynch: "Good Day Today":

Posted by Tom Breihan on August 15, 2011 at 7 a.m.

Give em' Enough Rope

Some awesome sketches from artist Phil Noto:

Strummer and his boys

The Fab Four

Fugazi

"Fuckery"

Here's a macabre' portrait of Amy Winehouse made entirely out of pills.

See others at:  http://www.jasonmecier.com/misc.html

See Ya' Got Ya' Rubbers

Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged women.

                                                                      - Quint (?-1975)

Shaolin Style

This is a late front runner for tweet of the year:

@pitchforkmediaPitchfork 

Cee-Lo Green to Play Raekwon's Father in a Biopic Film Raekwon Is Making About His Own Life  p4k.in/rn0Vbw