Grammy Awards Tonight (& Prince)

Yahoo's Grammy Coverage "Central"

http://www.grammy.com/ - the offical Grammy website

http://www.apple.com/itunes/ - yes, the Apple iTunes store. iTunes has Grammy coverage, too, of course (Grammy-nominated samples and downloads).

Speaking of iTunes, re my mention of Prince above, I've got my iTunes running listening to Prince's "Baby I'm a Star" as I write. Anyway, about Prince, didn't he do a great half-time show at the Super Bowl? Real trooper Prince was performing in the pouring rain. I did pick up on the irony of his performing "Purple Rain" under the circumstances. Perfect.

Poop on those people who bothered to try to make something dirty out of Prince's performance. I think it's *their* minds that are dirty. Jeez. (Yes, I know Prince's has had his naughties in the long-ago past. Again - jeez. Sometimes people just seem compelled to look for the negative.)

Anyway - I'm looking forward to the Grammys tonight. I've even got some of the music - listening now to a song from John Mayer's "Continuim" as I now write. Got Mayer's music video for "Waiting for the World to Change." Also have a couple of Red Hot Chili Pepper's songs from their nominated "Stadium Arcadium", listening to "Snow (Hey Oh)" now - I listen to this one over and over, and over and over. (BTW, what the heck are the lyrics about? Whatever.)

Gee, I'm even missing "Desperate Housewives" in order to watch the Grammys...

Enjoy.

P.S.: John Mayer had better win something, as he's nominated multiplily, and is certainly talented and deserving. BTW, a relative? Who knows? Would be at most a distant in-law, such as a cousin-in-law. He does look like the Mayer branch of our family... ?

T-shirt turns air guitar into music

T-shirt turns air guitar into music - Yahoo! News (AP)

No, it's not one of my T-shirts.

Curious concept, this musical shirt.

Makes playing the guitar entirely too easy, though... No fair?

Check out the link in the article for much more and to see/hear the video of this wearable musical instrument in performance.

Music Dark Apparel : CHM Design Store - Music Stuff & More : CafePress.com

Music Dark Apparel : CHM Design Store - Music Stuff & More : CafePress.com

New Music Shirts!

More Long Sleeve T-Shirts. More Women's T-Shirts (also Women's Long Sleeve T-Shirts). More Dark T-Shirts. Still more color choices.

And, new color choices have been added to the Men's Dark T-Shirts (Navy, Khaki Green), Ash Grey has been added as an additional color choice to the Men's White Long Sleeve T-Shirts. The new Men's Long Sleeve T-Shirts come in either Black or Navy.

White Long Sleeve T-Shirts and Black T-Shirts now come in Women's sizes, with Women's Dark Long Sleeve T-Shirts coming in Black or Brown.

It's a lot to digest, even for me!

The new CafePress merchandise was added just last night. I've some examples of the new additions in the section linked to above, find more in the "NEW NEW NEW section" in "Sales & Features" on the Music Stuff & More storefront.

BTW, IMHO, the "gold" treble clef (and, surely, all the "gold" graphics...) look great on all the new colors. : D Check it out.

Watch for more and more of the music graphics to be added to the new merchandise. (I want to convert more music graphics for black/dark use as well.)

Bruce Springsteen's Latest Album, Also Pete Seeger

http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/BruceSpringsteen/news/index.html

Feeling neither here nor there about Bruce Springsteen over the years, liking his "Born in the U.S.A.", but being mostly indifferent to the man and his music, I'm surprised to find myself thoroughly enjoying some of his latest performances.

First, I saw Bruce perform on Conan O'Brien's "Late Show" and loved his "Bring Them Home" and the extended "Pay Me My Money Down" (which included Conan on guitar, BTW).

Then, I saw Bruce on a 4th of July TV special where he performed yet another version of "Pay Me My Money Down" (clearly a very versatle song, which can be expanded, contracted, varied in regard to length, instruments, number of performers, etc.) A great, fun, lively song, BTW - wonderfully performed by Bruce and his gang. (Not often you see a rock star backed by a sousaphone, BTW. Also a washboard player. But it definitely works for that song.)

Another song - in an entirely different mood - performed on the TV special was "We Shall Overcome." I've long heard (longer than I care to admit, frankly) this old gospel song sung as a belted-out song of determination, of protest, of "black power", of African-Americans hanging in there in order to assert and confirm their civil and equal rights as Americans. Great song sung that way.

But Bruce sung this old gospel song in a different way: as a prayer. More about faith and hope and trust in the Lord. A prayer about overcoming difficulties and looking toward a better tomorrow.

An interpretation which, I was surprised, works every bit as well as the "shout" of the old civil rights movement version in its own quiet, worshipful way. Perhaps it's closer to the original intent of the song? I wouldn't know, but it might be.

I've been thoroughly and pleasantly surprised at how much I've enjoyed all of Bruce's recent music - his best yet, as far as I'm considered.

And I'm so glad he's bringing back these old songs and bringing back this attitude from the '60s. This is something we sorely need now, frankly.

From one of the guys who started it all, and who Bruce is paying tribute to with this "We Shall Overcome" album: Pete Seeger. And, wow, listen to the Original "Seeger Sessions"

Instruments Blog

Instruments Blog

Music blog of interest, which has been kind enough to include this humble blog onto its Blogroll.

Worth visiting just the same for its extensive musical Blogroll and for its photos and descriptions of musical instruments (which are available for sale - note the live links).

Prince to Receive Special Webby Award

Webby Awards

The Webby Awards? The Webbies? They are, as they say themselves, the online Oscars, awarded to outstanding contributions to the Web, such as, reasonably, the very best websites.

CafePress won the best retail Webby last year.

Anyway, Prince is about to win a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Webbies. Why? Because Prince has always fully used the capabilities of the Web, in fact being a Web pioneer. For example, Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album - 1997's Crystal Ball - exclusively on the Web. Note that this was in 1997.

Prince also has made available on his website seven full-length CDs of music unavailable anywhere else.

Prince's website

The Webby Awards website

How to Write a Song - WikiHow

How to Write a Song - WikiHow

This looked interesting.

I wish it was more instrument-oriented and had more about chord progressions, however.

While here be sure to check out the "Music" Category - this had all kinds of even more interesting musical how-to's. Sure you want to learn how to spin your drumsticks. Sure you want to learn how to "jump on an electric guitar."
But, seriously, there's "how to compose", and how to buy, play, and take care of a wide assortment of musical instruments. And more of musical interest.

Guitar Tools - News, Tips & Resources for Guitarists on Squidoo

Guitar Tools - News, Tips & Resources for Guitarists on Squidoo

Heads up, "Guitar People."

I was so impressed with this Squidoo Lens (kind of a cross between a website and a blog - I'm still learning about it) that I had to share the link to this great and rather comprehensive site about all things guitar. I'll be linking this to my Music Medley Page on my website as well.

Killer Sound - Guns Into Guitars

Killer Sound - Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone From Yahoo! News

Check out this blog entry and see the photos of the guns turned into guitars.

That's an appealing idea - weapons into music.

Similar to the Bible's beating swords into plowshares.

Neil Young urges Bush impeachment on protest album

Neil Young urges Bush impeachment on protest album - Yahoo! News (Reuters)

Wow.

New Circle of Fifths Graphics : CHM Design Store - Music Stuff & More : CafePress.com

Circle of Fifths : CHM Design Store - Music Stuff & More : CafePress.com
Check out all the new Circle of Fifths graphics available now: white, "gold", pink, light blue.

Four of the new Circle of Fifths graphics are available on black T-shirts.

They're already proving popular.

Major Guitar Overhaul in Music Stuff & More Store

Not only have I tidied, caught up, and put the guitar area in order quite a bit, but new guitar graphics have been added - from other CafePress shopkeepers. Finally electric guitars have arrived as a result, as well as a few of the best guitar graphics around CafePress.

Guitars in Music Stuff & More

Mikey Guitar & Bass - Fretted/Fretless

Mikey Guitar

Curious new electric guitars and basses, which can be changed from fretted to fretless at the flip of a switch.

I wonder what it would be like to play a fretless guitar?

Fender® Hello Kitty®

Fender® Hello Kitty®

Something different.

I don't know if it rocks...? What would Hendrix think?

Well, if it gets more girls to play guitar...

Wonder if Fender has a "Hello Kitty" bass?

The New Circle of Fifths Graphic

Not only an attractive graphic, but a handy-dandy tool for musicians, composers, and songwriters.

Actually this graphic looks much better in real life, what I did here was link to a .jpg in my store.

(I'm still learning about posting pix into blogs...)

Anyway, click the title and it'll take you to the store C of 5s, where they look much better and, you can see what merchandise they're on.

Note that this graphic also comes in a plainer B&W version, a blue version, and a very colorful version with blue, green, and pink gradients.