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Sony Gets Sued!

Soo.. this morning MTV reported that the State of Texas is suing Sony BMG over anti-piracy issues. Supposively, Sony has anti-piracy protection on their CDs that allows hackers to access consumers' information on their computers.

"The fallout over Sony BMG's XCP anti-piracy software continues. After the company agreed to recall millions of CDs with copyright-protection software that can leave computers vulnerable to hackers, it has been hit with two lawsuits over the issue, with several others potentially on the horizon.
On Monday, Texas became the first state to sue Sony BMG over the issue, claiming that the secretly embedded XCP software is basically spyware that leaves computers vulnerable to hackers."

The article on MTV states that the purpose of the "tracking technology" is to prevent burning and copying of copywrited material.

"Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak-and-dagger deceit against consumers by hiding secret files on their computers," Abbott said, citing the company's Web site, which lists 52 CDs with the software, including ones by everyone from former Phish leader Trey Anastasio to Switchfoot and Amerie.
"Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instead, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime."

The entire article can be found at the above link.

Personally, I'm happy about this law suit. I think that it's about time that a million dollar company finally gets in trouble for taking advantage of its listeners. Not all consumes pirate material, so we shouldn't all be harmed by the outcome of the spyware of the CD.

So.. How'd Dane Cook Go?

Well- 4,500 people showed up- The show sold out in 2.5 hours. And I've never seen so many people at the Bob Carpenter Center for an event other than a sport.

The show started at 8:30 with Robert Kelly- He warmed up the crowd with New York style stand up and constant punches at himself. At about 9, Dane took the stage, welcomed with a standing ovation and applause. The entire Bob was on their feet, cheering on the man they all came to see. He called them all friends, since most of them are his friends on the popular site, Myspace.

Most of the crowd new many of the jokes by a single word. When Dane mentioned "Legacy" most of the crowd was on their feet and cheering. Its crazy to think that a man only has to say one word for a crowd of thousands to go insane.

Below is a review of the show by Spark, a division of the News Journal. As a member of the organization who put on the event, I was all smiles when i first read this.

Dane Cook had them at hello
KELLY HOUSEN spark
11/16/2005
REVIEW
Dane Cook
The Spark: It was like being part of a huge inside joke. Everyone knew what was coming and laughed when the joke started -- the feeling that you get when you're hanging out with old friends who start telling a story you already know is funny.
The Highlight: His famous Kool-Aid skit. "Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh NO!"
A
Inside jokes are fun when you're in on them. And when lots of people are in on them, they're even more fun. Wednesday night, 4,200 people were in on the joke with Dane Cook at his sold-out show.
Some of those people were so excited to be in on the joke that they camped out to get their tickets when they went on sale at the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center.
Though my comedy friend didn't camp out, she did get up and was poised at the computer the second the tickets went on sale. I didn't know I was going to the show until I got a phone call from my still-groggy comedy friend.
"You're going to see Dane Cook. He's hilarious. You're going to love him."
Love was in the air early. Dane received a standing ovation before he even told a joke. He walked onto the stage and the place went crazy. People were screaming, whistling, yelling.
A small part of that could be attributed to his opening comedian, Robert Kelly. Openers usually don't do it for me. I just want them to get it over with so we can get onto the main event. (Like when you're eating dinner, but you know there's a really good dessert coming. The opening comedian is like the dinner. Dane was dessert.)
Robert went into a monologue about food, how people feel guilty when they eat too much in one day, but as soon as that clock ticks over past 12:01 a.m., they're good to go again.
"You know those days when you wake up and say, 'It's almost lunch. Yeah!'"
The crowd laughed, but it was almost like they didn't want to laugh too hard. They were saving the good laughing for Dane.
And Dane deserves the good laughs. He has the only top-selling comedic album since Steve Martin's came out 25 years ago. Comparing any new comedian to Steve Martin is serious business, I know. But Dane earned that comparison -- and proved it during his show.
"Hello. I recognize most of you from MySpace. Hello friends."
That was probably accurate. He has 567,585 friends on MySpace. There were people at the show who knew the punchline of every joke after the first few words, listening to it like a favorite song.
He started to talk about forming legacies, about how everyone wants to be remembered for something. And people were roaring with laughter here. The people in front of me were doubled over and he hadn't even gotten to the punch line. I was the only person in the arena who didn't know what was coming. (I was also one of the five people there who were not in college.)
"Like for example, the other day, I saw a young boy, he was eating an ice cream cone. I ran up, I smashed it into his face. I leaned in, I said 'You'll remember me forever,' and I ran away. You know when he's 50 he's gonna be like, 'A man ran up to me. I did not know this man. He smashed my treat into my eyes.' "
People went crazy. My concert buddy was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face.
Another old favorite that set the crowd off before he was even into the joke was about how Dane likes ladies with good teeth.
"I love a girl with nice teeth. If you have a nice set of teeth, that's a turn on for me. ... I don't like when you open your mouth and it's a battle of epic proportions going on."
And then he started talking from the point of view of a tooth. At this point tears were streaming down my face. My comedy buddy was rocking back and forth. I thought the girls in front of me were going to fall out of their seats.
But Dane didn't just stick to his old stuff. He tried out some new material that made people laugh just as hard as his old stuff.
He was standing in the subway and the man next to him sneezed, so he said "God bless you." He sneezed again. "God bless you." But the man said he was an atheist and expressed his disdain that poor Dane grew up Catholic. (At this point, every single Catholic person in the Bob cheered like people libing in the city named by a rock band on stage.)
Good Catholic boy Dane didn't take well to the atheist's remark.
"If you are an atheist and you sneeze, what am I supposed to say? You die and nothing happens."
People stood up and cheered again as he gave his encore. Girls were screaming and yelling that they loved him. As we were walking to the parking lot I realized that my cheeks hurt. I was laughing for almost two straight hours. No wonder.
(Tickets for Dane's Dec. 1 show at the University of Maryland show go on sale Nov. 16. Get 'em quick.)

Blackballed

This movie is hilarious!

Everyone MUST try and see a showing of this film. It only gets shown at select colleges and film festivals.. so drive as far as you have to and see this film. it only gets shown in theaters if it gets support!! "The producers of Blackballed are entering final negoations for a worldwide distribution deal. That means Blackballed will be available to the public everywhere very, very soon." Hopefully that statement from their official website is true!

Blackballed is a mockumentary, much like Best of Show and The Mighty Wind, on paintballing. Watch the trailer on:

http://www.bobbydukes.com/site_content.html


This film features up and coming comedians such as:

Rob Corddry... Bobby Dukes (he's from The Daily Show.. see picture below)

Paul Scheer.... Lenny Pear
Dannah Feinglass.... Erika Dukes
Rob Riggle....Eddie Reynolds
Curtis Gwinn.... Showtime
Seth Morris.... Crosby Peters
Rob Huebel.... Sam Brown
Jamie Denbo.... Jill Watson
D.J. Hazard.... Bill Henry
Jack McBrayer.... Stuart Applebaum
Owen Burke.... 'Pistol' Pete
Brendan Burke.... Bryan Adams
Neil Driscoll Jr..... Freddy Getz
Billy Merritt.... Chris Lopez
Ed Helms.... Bunker

Recent review:
“Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story” – why haven’t we heard more about this movie? Please, tell me. Starring Rob Corddry of The Daily Show, Dukes is a Hudson Valley Paintball champion who is forced out of the sport and this is a mockumentary about what happens ten years later, when he tries to regain his former glory.
I had an idea this film was going to be great when it tells Bobby's story over the opening credits, with He Man toys. And not the stupid old new ones, the originals. The cast of characters features a bunch of guys from the Upright Citizens Brigade including Paul Scheer ( the gap toothed guy from Best Week Ever) Ed Helms also of The Daily Show, and Rob Huebel (better known as Inconsiderate Cell Phone Man.) Shot entirely in the Hudson Valley, mostly in the Liberty and Pawling areas, the film is hilarious, the paintball scenes are fast and furious and I have no idea why this film doesn’t have distribution yet. It's a great film and one destined for cult status. Seek it out. www.aintitcool.com

Change of Pace..

I've written about music and comedy, but not yet about poetry- This is a piece that is by Buddy Wakefield (www.buddywakefield.com). He's an inspiration and an absolute sweetheart. I've never met someone with such a good soul. He's fantastic to be around; even after only knowing him for short time, he's the kind of guy that you never want to leave your presense.

He's also the 2004 and 2005 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion.

This piece means a lot to me because it reminds me of my own Flockprinter, CCS.

Flockprinter- Buddy Wakefield

Flockprinting is an aggressive electrostatic action
Using severe heat to force finely chopped fibers
Onto patterns of fabric
Ultimately resulting in
Soft touch

When they told You that this was Your assignment
You flockprinted straitjackets and suits of armor
So I asked if You wanted to trade jobs
Because damn
That
Is poetry

And yes, these arms fell backwards
When ya did it
Chest out stretched
Open to the way You palms up turn me

I knew You'd be good
I just didn't know how good

Even before we met
When the assignment was to draw words
With their own literal meanings

I would write out each letter of the word LOVE
Using winning halves of wishbones, melted Crayons
And the toe tips of the great dancers who've quit dancing
Because I don't give up on shit like that
I always knew I'd find You

Even before we met
When the assignment was to partner up in ice water, and keep our heads above it
I'd watch boys with girls take the shallow end of the 8th grade
Like
Suckerfish
Swapping skin deep aquarium air tubes
Trying to make each others shivers fit
We don't swim that way
Never gonna

Flockprinter,

You have been a long time comin'
And the clouds have rolled You in slowly
But I ain't mad at the upshot sky
Rain
It's my lucky number
It's the author of release
It taught me monsters are easy to come by
So I went out and found the beast
Before we met
When the assignment was to incomplete myself
With sad songs and recycled insults
When I was spun out eyes bagged teeth fist first in lust and considering Jesus
You were there
You have been the whole journey
And I ain't got nothin' against goin' home

You, Flockprinter

Ya look good in yer tidal wave
Toe to toe with the mean blue moon
Head raised up like a lighthouse

You
Are
Buttercups spraying out the mouths of doves
Fireworks stuck in the air
You're a freestanding landing pad held together by choir claps
You're a god
Not afraid
To walk with the saviors
Who ride monkeys around on their backs
Kicking up mercury
Spreading upward openly
Carrying breath
Well

You are
An18-stringed guitar heart
Sparkin' off roots
Dancing out of the river's edge

You walk
Like a free country
With an affinity for thick skin

You live
Humming to the tune of let loose like a railway
Banging through the middle of Novocain
An open winded under water fire escape

Flockprinter,
You have, now are and always will be
My reflection of individuality
Carried out by the acoustic drift
Of a snowflake
Living with a fingerprint

And I
Am
Rumble motion jawbone
Waterlogged with ink spots
Smiling ear to ear
Armed with backbone and busted zoo gates
Promising You
From the bottom of my harmonica pocket
Forever
You will never have another lonely holiday

Even now
Where the assignment is to live without a destination
I end up with You and the rain, released
Both
Flockprinting stars
Between me and the beast

end of CDs?

http://www.sonicslang.com/

"Cordless Recordings: The End of the Album? This week marks the launch of Warner Music Group's new "e-label," Cordless Recordings. The hook is, instead of releasing a full album every two or three years for their artists, the company will make online "clusters" of songs available every few months for fans to purchase off of legal download services or wireless devices. From the looks of it, record execs are finally catching on to the fact that it's not the record industry that's struggling, but the format.MTV.com reports:--- "With the Internet, we can deconstruct the old models of albums, which are wonderful, but who said they have to be 13-14 tracks?" said label co-founder Jac Holzman, a music-biz veteran who's worked with such artists as the Doors, Iggy Pop, Carly Simon and Queen during his 55-year career.The plan is for Cordless bands to release clusters several times a year, so that fans get a near continuous stream of new music from them. But Cordless President Jason Fiber said fans aren't the only ones who'll benefit. In a rare twist for today's modern music biz, Cordless artists will keep the rights to their master recordings, and if their song or cluster takes off, they have the option to be bumped up to Atlantic or Warner Bros. to record a more traditional album. ---It certainly seems like they're on to something here. Hell, if SS had its way, we'd all go back to vinyl. But facts are facts: In this post-iPod age, the album as a format is hopelessly outdated, and no amount of "event" releases or artist promotion is going to change that. According to the latest Billboard chart, album sales in 2005 are lagging behind the already anemic sales of '04 by 10 percent. Even a high-profile release by chart kingpin 50 Cent could only muster 317,000 copies, peanuts by his standards.
Certainly the concept should prove beneficial for the consumer. Instead of purchasing an entire album, later finding only two or three tracks worth listening to, Cordless Recordings will, in theory, eliminate buyer risk. In addition, the move would seem to remove pressure for a new artist to deliver big sales from the get-go.In theory it\'s a win-win. Of course traditionalists will mourn the loss of the album, but as MTV points out, it wasn\'t long ago when bands like The Beatles made their names solely on the singles. Give us your thoughts folks. A great idea, or musical blasphemy?"]

Certainly the concept should prove beneficial for the consumer. Instead of purchasing an entire album, later finding only two or three tracks worth listening to, Cordless Recordings will, in theory, eliminate buyer risk. In addition, the move would seem to remove pressure for a new artist to deliver big sales from the get-go.In theory it's a win-win. Of course traditionalists will mourn the loss of the album, but as MTV points out, it wasn't long ago when bands like The Beatles made their names solely on the singles. Give us your thoughts folks. A great idea, or musical blasphemy?"

Am I the only one that likes going to a record store and buying an album anymore? Does no one else wait until the release date of their favorite band's newest record and listen to it for the first time in completion when in actual CD form?

Maybe its just me, but if cds become extinct, I'll be very upset. I like feeling the actual CD in my hand, being able to bring it with me wherever I do, complete with lyrics, cover art, and photos. Its not only about the song, it's the entire package..

Dane Cook at University of DE!!

Dane Cook @ The Bob Carpenter Center
Wednesday, November 9th
Doors at 8pm, show at 8:30pm

$20 for UD Students/$35 for Community
Limit of 2000 Student priced tickets - get 'em while they're hot.

Tickets on Sale - MONDAY October 24, 2005 @ 10am

Who's Dane Cook?

Well, he currently has the #1 comedy album according to Billboard Magazine..

"An inventive comedian and electric performer who has developed a worldwide following, Dane Cook is poised to firmly establish his unique brand of humor with upcoming projects in film and television.

Cook will next be seen on the big screen in Lions Gate Film's "Waiting." Written and directed by Rob McKittrick and co-starring Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris, the film follows the efforts of a group of young employees of a restaurant called Shenanigan's as they try to stave off boredom and adulthood as long as they possibly can. The film is due for release October 7th. In addition, he will be seen in Hunter Richards' "London" which stars Jessica Biel and Chris Evans.

Cook is currently enjoying the successful release of his sophomore CD/DVD, "Retaliation" which debuted at Number Four on the Billboard 200 making him the highest charting comedian in twenty-five years. "Retaliation" has been officially certified gold. This follows the success of Cook's debut release, "Harmful If Swallowed" which sold 230,000 copies in less than two years, garnering appearances on 5 different Billboard charts on numerous occasions since its release.

Bringing his comic voice to television, Cook has recently completed work on a situation comedy pilot for Sony entitled "Cooked." Cook wrote the script, executive produced and stars in the comedy. This follows a number of appearances on late-night talk shows, as well as appearing on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend," and "The Man Show," and lending his voice to "Crank Yankers" and "Shorties Watchin' Shorties."

Cook was most recently seen on film in Joseph Kahn's "Torque" with Ice Cube and Christina Milian. Other feature film credits include The Farrelly Brothers "Stuck On You" with Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear, Peter Pau's "The Touch" with Michelle Yeoh, Kevin Elders' "Simon Sez" with Dennis Rodman, and Kinka Usher's "Mystery Men."

As a stand up comedian, Cook has built an unprecedented following through an unparalleled commitment to touring. Sell out crowds and packed houses have watched Cook perform at stops as varied as Carnegie Hall to the 50,000 seat venue at the University of Florida's "Gator Growl." His remarkable success on the road has been documented on film in "Tourgasm" which follows Cook as he winds his way through a nationwide comedy tour.

Among the accolades Cook has received for his work as a stand up comic include being named Rolling Stone Magazine's "Hot Comic," Comedy Central's Favorite Standup Comedian, and Stuff Magazine's Coolest Comic of the Year.

Cook has also proven himself as a writer, director, and producer with his work on the short films "8 Guys" and "Spiral" for which he won the internet-based Pixie Award for Best Actor.

Cook takes great care in tending to his ever-growing fan base through various means including utilizing the internet. His website, DaneCook.com receives well over 250,000 visits per month and is frequently updated to give his fans the latest information as to his upcoming projects and appearances."

Battle of the Bands/Omnisoul Recap

RECAP-
Battle of the Bands, Thursday Oct 13th

8 bands competed; number 1 won the opening slot for Omnisoul, and # 2 and 3 won slots for Local Band Night on nov 17th-

Judges: Greg, a free lance writer for the Spark, a division of the News Journal- Lisa, a Agent at local college entertainent booking agency, the Auburn Moon Agency- and Chris, owner of Newark's own Rainbow Records.

The winner was ChaseHer, and the two runners up were Chris D'Esposito and Bellafonte-

The results were close- but three prevailed- over 400 students voted. the entire Scrounge was packed for the entire evening, with students standing, sitting in chairs or on the floor, crowded behind the stage, etc. The response was amazing, and the cheers when the winner was announced was memorable.

RECAP-
Omnisoul- Friday, Oct 14th

The performance began to a packed crowd of over 400- as the house music came down, screams for ChaseHer already began. As the came on stage, the applause was loud, and they go the crowd ready for Omnisoul- for a relatively new local band, their "put- together" radio friendly sound was surprising.. and the crowd definitely agreed.

After a brief break after ChaseHer's 30 minute set, the house music again came down and the cheers for Omnisoul where loud- after a round of unison applause, Omnisoul took the stage and all of the women in the audience got on their feet. The lights were mesmorizing, and the professionalism of this once local band of UD students was astonishing. The young men looked like vetorians with their stage presence and musicial perfection. The lead singer's voice was just as perfect live as he sounds on record, which is a surprising feat in music today.

Overall, both events were a huge success for UD's campus- Most likely, we will see a Battle of the bands again.. and Omnisoul will not be a stranger to the UD campus..