Wastin' Away on the North Coast
 

Saturday, February 28 2009

Episode 96: The Information Supergoatpath

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, February 25 2009 (10:00 PM - 12:00 AM) at Zodiac Racquet Club, Southgate MI
    “On the agenda: reviewing Jimmy’s new digital download EP. What we really talked
about: more bitching about Ticketmaster. (Special guests: Jennifer and Joe.)”

    01:52 - Buffett News’s write-up on Jimmy’s participation with the latest Google Earth update.  And information on Buffett’s Google Earth plug-in
    03:02 - an example of “Lover of Mine” from YouTube
    04:45 - Buffett News’s write-up on the South Carolina license plate
    06:43 - Ticketmaster Will Stop Linking Customers to Subsidiary, at NJ.com
    14:44 - Live from Key West, available at Mailboat Records
    22:50 - a reference to the joke which ended Episode 62
    23:29 - taken from The Colbert Report on Tuesday, February 10

      >  Download Episode 96

Saturday, February 14 2009

GMA’s Worst Lubb Songs

    Usually I hate this kind of article, lists so thoughtlessly thrown together you know they were printed just to take up space.  Yet, here I am blockquoting the article nevertheless.  Good Morning America has assembled what they consider the “Worst Love Songs of All Time” and, whaddaya know, Jimmy Buffett is on it.  But, instead of arguing some controversial point, the writer of the list chooses the decidedly non-love song “Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw”.
    Way to make a stand there.  Choose a song that already is not a love song and tell us how it’s not a love song.  Didn’t Jimmy, himself, already say as much on Feeding Frenzy with the “A Love Song (From a Different Point of View)” track name?
    But I guess I’m asking too much of the writer to know what she’s talking about.  For example…

Jimmy Buffett: ‘Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw’

    Doesn’t the name just say it all? What’s not to love in this explicit token of affection Jimmy Buffett wrote? I guess you could argue that Buffett should get bonus points for being direct and honest. (That’s plus two for Buffett.) There’s no wasting time here. But, there’s also no cuddling afterward.

Honey why don’t we get drunk and screw
I just bought a waterbed
It’s filled up for me and you
They said you’re a snub queen
Honey, I don’t think that’s true
So, why don’t we get drunk and screw

    Yeah, we heard you the first time and so the repetition makes this overt come-on more lame and lackluster — if that’s possible.  Once again, Buffett gets a point for calling his lady “honey,” but it’s minus 1,000 for referring to her as a possible snub queen and bringing up a waterbed.
    First, if she has a bad back, a waterbed is the last place she’ll want to be.  Second, a waterbed — seriously?  How 1970s gross of you.  She’ll love it so much, she’ll probably close out her tab and go home — to her bed — alone.

    Yes, what was Jimmy thinking calling his lady a snub queen (whatever that is).  And how dare a 1970s song make a 1970s reference.  But would should I expect from someone who thinks she’s uncovered a heretofore hidden stalker subtext in The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”.
    P.S.: Oh yeah — Happy Valentine’s Day.  Hope this wasn’t too bitter.

Saturday, February 7 2009

Episode 95: TicketsNowJob

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, February 4 2009 (9:30 PM - 11:30 PM) at Zodiac Racquet Club, Southgate MI
    “With the tour dates confirmed and an unexpected Michigan date among them, the guys relate their latest ticket-buying adventures. Another volume in the unending multipart
series, "Ticketmaster Sucks". (Roger Clyne podcast starts at 40:45.)”

    01:58 - text of Springsteen's letter to fans, via Ticket News.com
    03:34 - Tour Dates at Margaritaville.com
    03:37 - Jimmy's Google Earth plugin info
    04:37 - "Yeah-yeah!" ©Schmoe
    07:17 - "Buffett Participates in Launch of Google Earth 5.0", at Buffett News
    09:28 - "Pascrell Seeks Investigation Into Ticketmaster Business Practice", at the Congressman's website
    09:54 - Ticketmaster/TicketsNow FAQ page
    29:42 - see 09:28
    42:30 - The Railbenders
    As a bonus, here's a bit of audio which was cut from the episode. It's stuff we've talked about before, but Scott liked it.

    February 9 update: Senator Charles Shumer (NY) has joined Representative Pascrell (NJ) in calling for a probe of Ticketmaster, in the response to the Spingsteen tickets sale snafu. New Jersey's attorney general says Ticketmaster may indeed have broken the law. And Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff avows to stop linking so blatantly to TicketsNow.

“This redirection only occurred as a choice when we could not satisfy fans’ specific search request for primary ticket inventory,” writes Azoff, “but to make sure there is no misunderstanding in the future, we also publicly state that we will never again link to TicketsNow in a manner that can possibly create any confusion during a high-demand on-sale.”

A quick check of Ticketmaster's site shows that scalped tickets are now located under a "Marketplace" tab.
    Coincidentally, Azoff is Buffett's manager, and Azoff's becoming CEO was part of selling his Front Line Management agency to Ticketmaster. Which means Buffett now literally works for Ticketmaster. And Ticketmaster can brag they have a direct relationship with top name artists, just like Live Nation does — a company Ticketmaster is currently attempting to merge with.
    Sigh.
    February 10 update: from this morning's Detroit Free Press, "Names & Faces" column, "Life" section, 5C:

Ticketmaster gets a 15% cut from TicketsNow, according to the [above mentioned] complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles federal court. A New Jersey congressman called for a federal antitrust investigation into Ticketmaster's sales practices. And attorneys general in Jersey and Connecticut are looking into the matter.
    Ticketmaster is accused of breaking Ontario laws that prohibit the resale of tickets at greater-than-face-value in a complaint filed Monday in Toronto. The suit seeks more than $400 million in damages.

    February 10 afternoon update: according to USA Today:

    The boards of Live Nation and Ticketmaster Entertainment unanimously agreed on Monday to merge their companies — potentially creating a concert and live entertainment behemoth.
    In announcing the deal Tuesday morning the companies said they plan an all-stock merger of equals. The combined company will be called Live Nation Entertainment.
    Under terms of the deal, Ticketmaster shareholders will receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation stock for each share of Ticketmaster they hold. The companies estimated the value of the combined business at about $2.5 billion and said the deal will help them save about $40 million annually.

    Of particular note is this little gem: "the deal could end up benefiting concertgoers by giving the combined company more bargaining clout with artists, potentially reducing performers' stakes in ticket sales and thus lowering ticket prices."
    Erm, yeah. Right. Of course. We're sure this whole cluster is engineered to drive down ticket prices. Based on past practices, why would we think otherwise?

      >  Download Episode 95

Monday, February 2 2009

BONUS: 2009 Radio Ad

    After four days, recording for countless hours in the morning and evening, monitoring up to four local stations, here at last is the radio commercial for our 2009 Summerzcool concert. Caught Saturday morning, at around 8AM, off WYCD Young Country 99.5 FM: