Interview: Bruce Hornsby Rises Again
Pianist-bandleader Bruce Hornsby is the only Grammy-winning pop musician to also serve as the Grateful Dead’s utility keyboardist. Hornsby’s last few albums testify to his relentless musical exploration and comfort-zone avoidance. In 2007 he released Camp Meeting with jazz drummer Jack Dejohnette and bassist Christian McBride. Last year he released Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby…
R.E.M., Pearl Jam Among Acts Filing FOIA Requests Regarding Gitmo Music Abuse
Pearl Jam, R.E.M., and the Roots are among a coalition of musical headliners pressing the government to find out if their music was used to coerce or punish prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, according to published news reports. “The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me,” said Rage…
RatDog, The President, And The Party
There’s an old bumper sticker that says, “Who are the Grateful Dead and why do they keep following me?” Someone should stick one on the presidential motorcade, because it seems that Barack Obama and Bob Weir are constantly under the same roof. Bob has visited the White House twice this year, played the inauguration, and…
The Stats Are In: You Voted
When you register someone to vote at a concert, you really have no idea if he or she will actually make it to the polls on Election Day. Let’s face it, over the years we’ve registered a fair number of people who never thought much about politics until a musician said something from stage. And…
Disco Biscuits Nughuffin’ In ‘High Times’ Mag
As the marijuana legalization debate heats up, the Disco Biscuits roll in for an interview and photo shoot in the December issue of High Times magazine. High Times is no stranger to musicians who favor legalizing the ganja. Last month’s issue featured an interview with Kid Cudi (who played at Camp Bisco this summer), while…
Phish Festival 8 Work Exchange Team Positions Still Open
It’s not to late to agree to trade 18 hours’ labor (over three six-hour shifts) for admission (and other goodies) to Phish’s Festival 8 as a member of the Work Exchange Team (WET). You have to be 18 or older, pay a $15 application fee, put down a $240 refundable deposit, and expect…
State Radio’s Chad Stokes Urmston On Phish, Fandom, And Volunteerism
“The music industry needs to devise a single strategy to leverage new federal funding to mobilize fans to volunteer,” blogs State Radio‘s Chad Stokes Urmston (with co-writer Matt Wilhelm) in the Huffington Post. Urmston, whom we interviewed recently here, provides an excellent roundup of the many ways in which musicians are leveraging their fan base…
Empire State Building Tie-Dyes One On
Last night, as promised, the Empire State Building donned a patchouli-scented tie-dye T-shirt it bought outside Madison Square Garden on 9/10/91.
Obama Announces Federal Medical Marijuana Policy
Today, the Department of Justice released guidelines to clarify the enforcement of federal policy on people in states with medical marijuana legislation. The new guidelines prioritize federal law enforcement resources for drug traffickers and money launders and explicitly state that prosecuting those in compliance with state law should not be a priority. As a general…
Empire State Building Lights Up For Grateful Dead
Tonight the Empire State Building dons “Psychedelic Tie-Dye Colors” in honor of an upcoming exhibit, “The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society,” which opens at the Historical Society on March 5, 2010. The exhibit will display material from the extensive Grateful Dead Archive housed at the University of California-Santa Cruz. The lights…