You Leave Your Smell Like An Alley Cat

The Beatles' former manager, Allen Klein, died today after suffering from Alzheimer's. He was 77.

Allen Klein wrestled his way into the Beatles' and was their controversial manager for a short period of time before they broke up. He also managed the Rolling Stones, Sam Cooke, Herman's Hermits, Bobby Darin and others. His independent ABKCO record company was unique in the sea of colossal corporations. His first client, Sam Cooke, had unprecedented ownership of his own music through Klein. George Harrison hired Klein to put on the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971.

On a lighter note, Klein is said to the be in the inspiration for John Belushi's Ron Decline in 1978's film The Rutles and John Lennon's song Steel & Glass.

In The City Built On Laughter

If you love Jellyfish, you'll love this -

The Peppermint Tolley Company


And they sung the Brady Bunch theme song on the closing credits in season one. More

I Saw a Film Today, Oh Boy

Making the YouTube rounds these days is a video of Neil Young joined onstage by Paul McCartney this past weekend to do A Day in the Life. Wow.

Winding Up Inside Your Head

Nice to see some mainstream coverage for Vol. 2 of Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs' Under the Covers series. This time they're doing the 70s. I've had a listen and it's awesome - even better than the very well received Vol. 1 of 60s covers.

Out July 21.

Pre-order here.

Where You're Meant To Be

World Party is touring!

September
9/5/09 Sat Seattle, WA Bumbershoot Festival
9/6/09 Sun Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
9/9/09 Wed Aspen, CO Belly Up
9/10/09 Thu Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
9/12/09 Sat Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
9/13/09 Sun Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
9/14/09 Mon Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
9/16/09 Wed Alexandria, VA Birchmere
9/17/09 Thu Annapolis, MD Rams Head Tavern
9/18/09 Fri Amagansett, NY Stephen's Talkhouse
9/19/09 Sat Philadelphia, PA World Café
9/22/09 Tue New York, NY City Winery
9/23/09 Wed New York, NY City Winery

October
10/1/09 Thu San Diego, CA Anthology
10/2/09 Fri Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
10/3/09 Sat San Francisco, CA Hardly Strictly Bluegrass or
10/4/09 Sun OR San Francisco Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Joe Pernice is touring!

Wednesday, August 5, 7 and 9:30 p.m. (two shows)
Brattle Theatre, Cambridge, MA
Tickets: www.WorldMusic.org, (617) 876-4275

Friday, August 7, 9 p.m.
Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
Tickets: www.boweryballroom.com

Saturday August 8, 7:30 p.m.
Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA
Tickets: www.comcasttix.com, (215) 928-0978

Sunday, August 9, time TBA
Iota Club, Arlington, VA
Info: (703) 522-8340 (they don’t do advance tickets)

Tuesday, August 25, 9 p.m.
Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
Tickets: www.tractortavern.com, (206) 789-3599

Wednesday, August 26, 9 p.m.
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Tickets: www.dougfirlounge.com

Friday, August 28, 7:30 p.m.
Café du Nord, San Francisco, CA
Tickets: www.cafedunord.com

Saturday, August 29, 8 p.m.
McCabe’s, Los Angeles, CA
Tickets: www.mccabes.com

Friday, September 11, 7 p.m.
Schuba’s, Chicago, IL
Tickets: www.schubas.com

Saturday, September 12, 9 p.m.
400 Bar, Minneapolis, MN
Tickets: www.400bar.com

Midwesterners, notice a common denominator? Schubas! Might as well just camp out there in September (FYI, David Mead and Bryan Scary are also playing there that month). I'd love not to miss World Party again.

Then Every Head Turned

Too Poppy is a Michael Jackson-free zone on every single day... except today. He was a creep who likely did very bad things with his celebrity and I am far from being a fan of most of his music, but NPR picked the one moment of his career that captured a transcendent moment in the history of pop culture that forever changed pop music. Sure it was a contemporary redux of the showmanship of Elvis and Little Richard and it opened the door for much lesser talent that still won't go away, but like it or not it was iconic for my generation. That is worth some reflection.

Indeed, "this is the moment Generation X realizes [we're] grown up."

Have To Try To Keep My Mind Out Of This

Our friends at NPR have an exclusive first listen to Wilco's upcoming album - Wilco (The Album) - on Tuesday June 30, 2009. I haven't had a chance to listen yet, but looking forward to it.

We'll Be There . . . . . . Oo Yeah . . . . . . .

Paul McCartney announced today he's playing Piedmont Park in Atlanta on August 15th!! I'm so there. General admission, standing room only and will cost a screw-the-recession $79-$400 (!).

Tickets go on sale for American Express cardholders (like me!) 25 June 2009 through Monday 29 June 2009 when the general public (peons) can buy the tickets.

Yeah, the tickets are a bit pricey, but hey, this is McCartney!

2Poppy - want to come down? Mrs. Way2Poppy probably isn't interested since she'll have to stand (the horrors) during the show. And she'd probably want to leave during the encore. Let me know before 10am tomorrow morning. :-)

It's Been a Long Year

New Bleu for you, dear Too Poppers.

A Watched Pot - an appropriate name for an album a long time coming - will finally be released July 14. The album was recorded back in 2005 as a follow-up to his excellent Redhead, but Bleu was a victim of terrible times for the music industry, which resulted in the record being tied up by his former label. They will never learn.

Bleu is a special talent. He has a knack for sincere melody and lyrics without sap, a delicate line to travel but one with incredible payoff. No doubt he's one of the best popsters in the game today, and the company he keeps is second to none. Can't wait to spend more time with the album - I can't imagine it won't be one of my top pop picks this year. In the meantime, below you'll find two new MP3s for you! Enjoy and salivate.

Ning
HisSpace
Twitter
Official Site

MP3: Bleu - Save Me
MP3: Bleu - No Such Thing As Love

They Should Try To Hold On Best They Can

From Billboard.com:

Fans who use the Internet to purchase concert tickets to the Flaming Lips' forthcoming U.S. summer tour will receive a sneak peek of the alternative-psychedelic band's new double-album, "Embryonic," scheduled for release later this year on Warner Bros.

Concertgoers who buy Flaming Lips tickets online will receive a digital EP with new songs "Convinced of the Hex," "The Impulse" and "Silver Trembling Hands." Those ticket-buyers will also be given three digital B-side tracks that the band members will handpick from its vault of rare material. Additionally, fans will be sent a digital download bootleg of the concert they attended.

Not coming to Iowa (they came last year) so I guess I'll wait. I can handle that. Check the tour dates here.

Get To Be The Generous One

Björk has a new album, sort of...

Well, just before Bjork's performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007, and before beginning what would be a two-year Volta tour, she and her band went into Olympic Studios in London. There, the group recorded live to tape selections from Medulla, Homogenic, Post, Vespertine and her latest. These performances are what make up Voltaic.

Sounds like a björky thing to do. You can listen to it now thanks to the magic of NPR. Or you can own it legally by downloading from Amazon MP3. Many deluxe versions will be out next week.

I'm Giving It All Away Tonight

Cheap music is great. Cheap music that happens to be great is frickin' awesome. Enter Matt Pond PA.

In a special limited-time deal for the uninitiated, MPPA is offering their last two albums, Last Light and Emblems, along with the If You Want Blood EP and a groovy poster for less than 15 bucks. No idea if the poster is actually groovy, but they usually are. And you won't be disappointed with the three discs of music. It's a Too Poppy Guarantee that guarantees I like it and provides you with absolutely zero legal rights.

Enjoy.