Iconic musician and noted weirdo Prince has officially either become the smartest man on the planet, or is continuing his lifelong assault on common sense. (Remember, this is the dude that changed his name to a symbol.)
The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it. The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you. – The Artist Formerly and Currently Known as Prince
Whoa.
That’s a pretty ballsy thing to say, dontcha think?
The Internet is done? Gone the way of “Yo! MTV Raps?” And “Remote Control?”
You may recall that rock band Metallica had some run-ins with the Internet because they wanted to get paid for their work. As cool as stealing music may sound, for artists, even millionaire artists, it’s theft. They did something good and deserve to get compensated for it. I get that.
However, Prince is complaining because he won’t get paid in advance from iTunes? How about you get paid for what you sell? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?
So, is the Internet over? Is it just like MTV? Will we look back on this period of time fondly in 20 years and wonder where it all went? And, most importantly, if the Internet is “over,” can we save it?
(Also, I was going to put up a Prince song for you, but he had pulled his music from the Internet, practicing what he’s preaching…)
The year was 2007. The Los Angeles Dodgers needed an infielder, so they reached into their farm system and recalled Taiwanese player Chin-Lung Hu. In a game against the San Diego Padres, the newest player singled, allowing Vin Scully to utter the greatest line in baseball broadcasting history: “And Hu’s on first.”
Of course, that hearkened back to the days of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and their infamous “Who’s On First?” routine. Take a look – and it’s OK to laugh out loud!
OK, ok, ok…how does “Who’s On First?” relate to public relations?
It is a textbook on how NOT to communicate! Neither Abbott nor Costello were asking the questions properly or providing the answers clearly, which led to:
1) Confusion
2) Frustration
3) Well…laughs for you and me.
Here are 3 steps to avoiding miscommunication:
1) Know Your Audience: Above all else, know who you are talking/writing to. Would you talk to a room of scientists the same way you’d talk to a group of skateboarders? Probably not, and that’s OK. So take time and do some research on who your audience is!
2) Put Yourself In Their Shoes: After you’ve ascertained who is paying attention, think about how they will receive the information you are sending them. Concentrate less on what you will say and more on what they will hear. If you aren’t presenting your case in a way they can understand it, you’ve already lost.
3) Be Complete: You know the old saying about assumptions? It’s axiomatic because it’s true. Present completely and accurately so everyone knows what was said.
In the sketch, Abbott and Costello couldn’t get on the same page. Well, they actually could: THIRD BASE!
I’ve always been fascinated with cover songs – when one artist does their version of a song another made famous.
For me, seeking out covers has exposed me to new songs and artists, and even new genres of music. A new slant on an old song shows creativity and artistry, and says as much about the coverer as it does about the coveree.
So I present to you, my Top 16 Cover Songs!
[Notes: Some people say that artists can cover their own songs. An example being Eric Clapton's unplugged version of "Layla." While these alternative versions are awesome, they are not covers in my book. You'll notice some bands you may not be familiar with. Feel free to look up their versions! Also, American Idol performances get their own "Honorable Mention" catgory. Glee performances aren't eligible, as are tribute movies, like "I Am Sam" or "Across the Universe." Also, this is my list of my favorites. It's biased. Put your favorites in the comments! And you can look up the original artists...it doesn't matter because these versions are so good!]
American Idol Honorable Mentions
“Straight Up” by Andrew Garcia
“Eleanor Rigby” by David Cook
“Hemorrhage” by Chris Daughtry – In my opinion, THE rockstar making performance of his career.
“Heartless” by Kris Allen – Making a Kanye song sound like your own is no easy feat.
And here we go with the Top 16!
16 – “Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm – Are you OK, Annie????
15 – “Boyz In Tha Hood” by Dynamite Hack – Apologies for the language, but this is pure brilliance.
14 – “Careless Whisper” by Seether
13 – “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
12 – “The Man Who Sold The World” by Nirvana
11 – “Feelin’ Good” by Muse
10 – “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley
9 – “Billie Jean” by Chris Cornell – Raw emotion…incredible.
8 – “All Night Long” by Jason Mraz – One of the most fun songs made even more fun!
7 – “Cry Me A River” by Glen Hansard – Sounds like it was written for his voice.
6 – “All Along The Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix
5 – “Landslide” by Smashing Pumpkins – I LOVE this song and Corgan’s sad voice makes it even better.
4 – “Hurt” by Johnny Cash – A lifetime of pain comes through in this version.
3 – “Umbrella” by Boyce Avenue – Never heard of them? Jump on the bandwagon! I can’t stress the awesomeness of this group any more. Take a listen!
2 – “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin
1 – “Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – The. Best.
Several reports have linked the current weather pattern that has dumped over 50 inches of snow over parts of the Mid Atlantic region to a familiar enemy…EL NINO!!!
they reached into their farm system and recalled Taiwanese player 
