I know at least 5 people who have the new iphone. Foo Fighters played at the launch event for Apple’s new iPhone 5 on Wednesday (Sep 12th) in San Francisco. Following the introduction and demonstration of the new phone, Apple CEO Tim Cook brought Dave Grohl and the band onstage for an acoustic performance. Grohl told the audience, “One of the incredible things about being here is that you’re meeting people who are shaping our future, and just like Little Richard, Tom Petty, Jimmy Page, these are just people who took it upon themselves to change our future.” There are also new versions of iTunes, iPod and Nano. And Apple is also working on it’s own version of a Pandora-like service. (And they sued Samsung for copying their stuff.)….Well, the reign of MTV seems to be over. Their recent MTV VMAs got the lowest ratings of all time for the 31 year old music television network that hardly plays music anymore. I can’t even tell you when the last time I tuned in to the channel, but I do recall when it launched in 1981, my eyeballs never left the tv screen for days! Ah, the good ole days…..Speaking of Jimmy Page, the 2007 Led Zeppelin performance is set for the silver screen! The band reunited for a memorial concert for former Atlantic Records chairman and co-founder, Ahmet Ertegun, and thus the film release is being referred to as “Celebration Day.” Tickets for the Wednesday, Oct 17th one-day only screening in 1,500 theaters are available at ledzeppelin.com. Then on Nov 19th, the film version will be released in multiple video and audio formats on Swan Song/Atlantic Records. And I think there are hardly any of the original Atlantic Records crew still working there. One man, who is now at Rhino Records, specializing in Atlantic product releases and two women I know of, actually are still at Atlantic, and both hold VP titles in promotion. Those days in the 70’s at Atlantic were very special and will remain in my heart forever! And former Atlantic artists AC/DC will release their first live album in 20 years, Live at River Plate, recorded and filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina along their Black Ice Tour. A 3-disc red vinyl set, and a double disc CD will be released on Nov 20th….And who knew, but the company that created the hologram of Tupac Shakur at Coachella last year that the industry thought would be the next big thing, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Live and learn…Happy 28th on Saturday Sep 15 to Prince Harry “What Happens in Vegas Ends Up on the Internet if you’re a” Windsor, and on Sunday, Very Happy 87th to a national treasure, BB King. Long live the Blues!
