Beck Gets A Hand From Jack White
Beck's next DGC/Geffen album will boast an appearance by White Stripes singer/guitarist Jack White on an as-yet-untitled song. The new album, also without a title, is due in late October, according to Beck's spokesperson. A tour is expected to follow, with dates to be announced.
White's guest spot returns the favor of Beck's cameo appearance in the Stripes' 2003 video "The Hardest Button to Button," one of the most played clips of last fall on MTV2.
The follow-up to 2002's "Sea Change" reunites Beck with production team the Dust Brothers, with whom he had not worked since 1999's "Midnite Vultures." The Dust Brothers were also behind the boards for 1996's "Odelay," which won a Grammy for best alternative music performance.
"Sea Change" debuted at No. 8 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 574,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Before the new album's release, Beck can be heard covering Daniel Johnston's "Things Last a Long Time" on the tribute album "The Late, Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered," due Sept. 21 via Gammon.
Prince assails record companies during rare appearance on Canadian TV
TORONTO (CP) - Rock superstar Prince used a rare appearance on Canadian television Wednesday to attack record companies for what he calls their "restrictive" control of the music industry.
With computer technology allowing people to record and distribute their own music, the days of record companies making money off artists are numbered, he said during a 20-minute interview at a MuchMoreMusic taping. "Kids today, I mean, they're so talented and sophisticated," Prince said. "They can create their own albums on laptops. They can deliver it through the Internet. They can even be their own distribution service."
"I mean, what do we really need record companies for?" asked the performer, who lives in Toronto part-time with his wife, Toronto-born Manuela Testolini.
The Grammy winner got the audience of about 80 going before the interview with a three-song performance with his band. He even invited the foot-stomping crowd to dance alongside him on stage.
About 20 fans took him up on the offer as Prince gyrated and sang in front of several cameras.
Hours later, he was to perform his second concert in as many nights at the Air Canada Centre.
Even by MuchMusic standards, this was not a typical day. A quick scan of the audience hovering around the stage revealed many of them to be MuchMusic employees.
Veteran VJ Bill Welychka, the host of the show, said there "really is a sense of royalty" in the air with Prince in the building.
"What can I say?" Welychka said. "Everyone's really excited to see him because he's no less than a legend."
MuchMoreMusic's Intimate and Interactive with Prince airs Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT.
Sony, BMG Combination Gets U.S. Antitrust Approval
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. antitrust authorities on Wednesday approved a deal for record companies Sony Music and BMG to merge, creating a rival to market leader Universal Music.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it would not oppose the combination of Sony Music, a division of Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp., and BMG, a unit of German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG.
"Upon further review of this matter, it now appears that no additional action is warranted by the commission at this time," the agency said in a letter to each of the companies.
BMG said in a statement that the reviews by U.S. and European antitrust officials had been "diligent."
"We now look forward to creating a global recorded music company comprising many of the world's most successful artists as well as a vast catalog of recordings," BMG said in its statement.
Combining the Sony Music and BMG creates a company with revenues of as much as $5 billion and brings under one roof such artists as Britney Spears, Usher, Elvis and Beyonce.
The FTC approval comes a week after the European Commission endorsed the deal. The EC imposed no conditions, but warned that it would look closely at any further proposed consolidation in the industry.