Advanced Music Headlines

• The Cure are going to release a double album. That's a little bit awesome at this stage in their career.
• According to a friend, Jim Morrison died in a nightclub of an overdose then was moved. The friend, a naked Native American, coincidentally has a new book coming out soon.
• Axl Rose wants you to know why GN'R didn't play Live Earth. I think it's because he was afraid that Madonna would have totally kicked his ass.
• Another note about Live Earth: When I heard Keith Urban go into "Gimme Shelter" I cringed. But then when Alicia Keys came on, everything made sense. She totally ruled that song, and I think I love her now.
  
• Raquel Welch says that Elvis became less sexy as he aged. Ageist.
• The Washington City Paper music blog, Black Plastic Bag, wonders about Billy Corgan's Advancement. The evidence: "you [Corgan] abandon your solo career to reunite your band with no other original members except for the drummer–who played on your solo record anyway–and record a new album which will be released in four different and equally unnecessary editions." Clearly the folks at BPB undesrstand the theory!
  

Patti Smith Covers the Allman Brothers and More

Another lovely friend of Advancement sent me a press release that is pretty awesome:

"Columbia Records will release Twelve,the eagerly-anticipated album of 'cover' [I'm glad they put that in quotes. -JH] versions of classic popular songsnewly interpreted by the 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee PattiSmith, on Tuesday, April 17. Twelve is Patti Smith's first album of new studio recordings sincetrampin', her Columbia Records debut, was released in 2004, and is theartist's first-ever full-length collection of songs originally created byother performers. On Twelve, Patti Smith and her band -- Lenny Kaye (guitar), Jay DeeDaugherty (drums) and Tony Shanahan (bass, keyboards) -- work their magicon a surprising selection of classic songs and overlooked treasures fromthe rock & roll canon including 'Pastime Paradise' by Stevie Wonder,' Everybody Wants To Rule The World' by Tears for Fears and 'Helpless' byNeil Young. Also on Twelve, Smith and company interpret songs by JimiHendrix, Bob Dylan, the Doors, Nirvana, Jefferson Airplane, the Beatles,the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers, and Paul Simon.

An assortment of guest artists appear with Patti on Twelve includingItalian cellist Giovanni Sollima; playwright Sam Shepard (with whom Patti collaborated on "Cowboy Mouth" in 1971) on banjo; early 60s GreenwichVillage folk artists John Cohen (banjo) and Peter Stampfel (fiddle); RedHot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea; Television guitarist Tom Verlaine; the Black Crowes' Rich Robinson on slide guitar and dulcimer; and hip-hop producer Luis Resto (Eminem) on keyboards. Patti's son, Jackson, anddaughter, Jesse, are on-hand to contribute guitar and vocal respectively."

Have Patti Smith and Prince been talking? You know, I've always thought Patti Smith was about as Overt as you can get, but this is a pretty bold statement of Advancement. I'll have to hear the record for myself, but I'm pretty excited. The inclusion of a hip-hop producer is a particularly nice touch.