- Paul McCartney is not dead, but he is digital: a new beta version of his website, developed with Hewlett-Packard, brings his solo catalogue to fans through a cloud service, along with a host of interactive features. Fans can stream all of his studio albums (including collaboration projects like The Fireman and Twin Freaks) through a jukebox, and premium members can download that jukebox as a desktop app. Additionally, a new “Rude Studio” section of his site allows fans to play and mix three-track stems of some of his greatest hits. Conspicuously absent is the bonus material from any of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection reissues. (Due credit to Super Deluxe Edition for their reportage.)
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for 2012 have been announced. The Beastie Boys, Donovan, Guns N’ Roses, Laura Nyro, The Small Faces/Faces and The Red Hot Chili Peppers were rewarded in the performer category, Freddie King will be inducted as an early influence, the Ahmet Ertegun (nonperformer) award will go to Don Kirshner and the Awards for Musical Excellence go to producer Tom Dowd and engineers Cosimo Matassa and Glyn Johns. A hearty congratulations to all those recognized.
- Rush have announced that production flaws exist on two of the three recently-released Sectors box sets. Fans have noted problems with Fly By Night (1975) in the Sector 1 box and the DVD version of A Farewell to Kings (1977) in Sector 2. A disc replacement program will be implemented shortly, per the band. (Thanks to Ultimate Classic Rock for the tip.)
- Tuesday was grey (and Wednesday too) at Second Disc HQ, but it’s brightened with the news of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame non-inductees The Cure reissuing hit single “Friday I’m in Love” next year for Record Store Day and the Teenage Cancer Trust. The single, which you – yes, you – could design the cover art for – also looks to be a tie-in for a reissue of the album it came from, 1992’s Wish, for its 20th anniversary, so there’s another expansion we can look forward to in the coming year. (Hat tips abound to Slicing Up Eyeballs for this one.)
Review: Paul McCartney, “Archive Collection: Flaming Pie” 2-CD and 5-CD/2-DVD Box Set Editions
Paul McCartney Releases “Beautiful Night” EP, Offers Free Exclusive Download of Rare 1986 Version
Dancing Again: What To Expect for Record Store Day’s RSD Drops Day 1, August 29
So Don Kirshner will (posthumously) go into the Rock Hall, but The Monkees still can’t get nominated.
I’m a believer… In Irony.
Beastie Boys and RHCP, but not the Cure?
The Beastie Boys, Guns N’ Roses and The Red Hot Chili Peppers get in before either Rush or Kiss? Shameful.
I’m neither a Kiss or a Rush fan, but I have to agree with you, they both belong in the Hall. The thing is,with the people behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they’re unlikely to ever get the nod. Anyone see a pattern? if the band got bad press or lousy reviews in Rolling Stone, they don’t get voted in…Guns N’ Roses? On the basis of one and a half albums? Please. Why isn’t Blind Faith in?
I’m not sure if Blind Faith deserves a nod, since they only had one (admittedly great) album, and Clapton, Winwood, and Baker are all in with other acts (in Clapton’s case, multiple times). But I’d put them in before G&R, that’s for sure?
And I still don’t understand why Joe Cocker, Peter Gabriel (as a solo artist), and Stevie Ray Vaughan aren’t in.
I’m with you and Joe both… While I’m not a big fan of either act, there’s no question that both KISS and Rush belong in the Hall. Both acts have had more influence, and sold a ton more albums over the years, than either the Chili Peppers or the flash-in-the-pan G&R.
I never even liked that one big G&R album, but regardless of that G&R simply didn’t have that should be taken into account when inducting a band into the Hall. Sure, Axl finally put that Chinese Democarcy album out a couple of years, but did anyone like it? What a joke.
My comment above should’ve read “simply didn’t have THE LONGEVITY that should be taken into account…”
Certainly not when compared with Rush or KISS.