Hip-hop’s new business model: pretend you’re poorHip-hop’s a genre that relies on the from the ‘hood rapper who makes it big by himself. But now hip-hop stars are pretending they are still independent despite having signed massive contracts. Why?
Music
Hitting the wrong note: bad vocals, great album
Why is it that revered music producer T-Bone Burnett, a man with superlative taste and musical abilities, allows such crappy vocals on his own solo album? Is it just ego? asks Tim Dunlop.
Worst. Cover. Ever.
Tim Dunlop reminisces about the most god awful record covers of all time, from overtly sexy covers, to ones with weird masks and creepy facial hair. What would you add to the list?
Kurt Cobain: the last rock star?
Once rock ‘n’ roll was the devil’s music that rotted the fabric of society. Now, Mick Jagger is knighted and Noel Gallagher does Adidas ads. Kurt Cobain was the last genuine rock star, writes Tim Dunlop.
The top ten albums of 2009: Part One
Put your feet up and get your speakers out, Tim Dunlop does a round up of the top ten albums of the year. From The Drones to Martha Wainwright, it’s a lullaby of fun.
Hey Victorian government, leave Britney alone!
A Britney Spears concert is presumably a mass of gyrating, fireworks and lip-syncing. But the Victorian government wants concert goers to be made aware when music isn’t technically ‘live’. Do we really need to be protected?
The wisdom of washed up boy bands
The hey day of the boy band may be over, but choreographed side steps lives on. The Guardian interviews five boy band-ers on the difficulties of fame. What do you do when your screaming teeny bopper fans move onto indie rock?
How I bluffed my way into John and Yoko’s hotel room: a schoolboy tells
Yoko had a black sweater on with white pants and white stockings. John was barefoot and had a big bushy beard, exactly like the Abbey Road cover. Right then and there I knew my life would be changed for ever.
Jonas brothers need to cross over before tweens tire
Pop sensations the Jonas Brothers need to cross over, and fast. The tween market is fickle and allegiances come and go faster than ever. The band needs to strike before its core fans — young girls — “age out” of the experience.
Sharp words fall flat at the Sydney Conservatorium
The malicious attack on the Dean of the Sydney Conservatorium and the NSW Governor, marks a new low in academic intrigue and skulduggery, writes, Alex Mitchell.
Disharmony at Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music
You can almost hear the strains of violins coming from the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music, because somebody down at “The Con” is feeling very annoyed, writes
