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March 3, 2009
Ticketmaster Shells Out $350,000 Over Springsteen Ticket Complaints
Quite a few Bruce Springsteen fans were angry – very angry – when they attempted to purchase tickets to some New Jersey performances that are scheduled as part of Springsteen’s upcoming tour. Some fans report being re-directed from the main Ticketmaster website to a site known as TicketsNow, a ticket re-selling site that normally commands a higher price for tickets.
TicketsNow, not surprisingly, is owned by Ticketmaster.
The re-direction tactic didn’t just anger fans, it also drew the ire of “The Boss” himself, who was not at all pleased with what may have appeared to be an effort by TicketMaster to hold back tickets to his shows in favor of directing fans to a site where the tickets were more costly.
Springsteen did not hold back when it came to his feelings about the issue. The Jersey rocker described the move as an "abuse of our fans and our trust."
For its part, Ticketmaster has offered up an olive branch in the form of a $350,000 payment to the state of New Jersey. This is, presumably, the company’s way of saying “we’re sorry.”
Ticketmaster is also planning a random ticket drawing for 1,000 fans who filed complaints regarding the TicketsNow re-direction tactic, and were unable to obtain tickets to Springsteen shows scheduled for May 1st and 23rd at New Jersey’s Izod Center.
New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram started to look into the allegations regarding Ticketmaster’s practices after receiving an avalanche of complaints from angry fans.
December 11, 2008
Classic Rock Hits Used As Weapon Against Guantanamo Detainees
The public has learned a little bit about how governments handle those it considers terrorists or suspected terrorists since the horrendous attacks on 9/11. I suspect that most people would have guessed that “waterboarding” was some kind of new sport akin to surfing if they had heard the term a few years ago. We have since learned that it does indeed involve water, but is nowhere near as fun as surfing.
Although this is not the first time we are hearing that music is being used in some capacity against detainees of the U.S. military, we are learning a little bit about exactly what music they have been using in an apparent effort to soften up the detainees prior to interrogation.
Among the more sensible selections, if your goal is to drive someone crazy are Barney the dinosaur’s “I Love You,” which unfortunately I can still remember from some 15 or so years ago when my kids watched the program regularly. I, for one, would also not be pleased about being exposed Eminem’s “White America” repeatedly. Come to think of it, I’d much prefer to avoid hearing even a single song by Eminem. I am a classic rock fan, after 
all.
Speaking of classic rock, some very well-known classic rock hits have been deemed appropriate by the U.S. military as part of their sonic attack on the detainees. Australian hard rockers AC/DC, currently on tour here in the U.S., were favored by having two of their hits incorporated into the musical arsenal. Both “Hell’s Bells” and “Shoot To Thrill” have been used as well as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA” and Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” which kind of makes sense from a patriotic standpoint if a significant number of the detainees even understand English.
At least some artists are not pleased about their material being used in this fashion, and with the backing of some artists, a new effort has been launched to stop the use of these tactics. The “Stop The Music Torture” drive was started by Reprieve, an organization that is described as a human rights charity, and has been involved with providing legal representations for inmates at Guantanamo Bay, where many detainees are being held.
The goal of “Stop The Music Torture” is to to exert pressure from the international community to halt the techniques used by U.S. forces in Guantanamo as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the techniques are also said to be in use.
Although some classic rock fans might be offended to learn that some legendary classic rock hits are considered suitable as implements of persuasion – some might say torture – in all seriousness, I think anyone can appreciate the probability that being subjected to the same music endlessly for long periods of time would become quite unpleasant, even if it was your favorite group or favorite song.
As singer-songwriter David Gray, who learned that his song “Babylon” was being used in this fashion put it, "That’s torture. It doesn’t matter what the music is – it could be Tchaikovsky’s finest, or it could be Barney the Dinosaur. It really doesn’t matter, it’s going to drive you completely nuts.”
Some detainees have indicated that the tactic has literally driven some of the others insane.
The commander at Guantanamo states that the tactics involving music are no longer being employed, although he declined to rule out using them at some point again in the future.
November 13, 2008
Classic Rock Briefs For November 13, 2008
Springsteen Plans To Debut New Song During ‘Sunday Night Football’
“The Boss” seems to have a pretty good relationship with the National Football League. Perhaps he is a big football fan, or perhaps the NFL big boys are major Springsteen fans – perhaps it’s mutual. Whatever the case, Springsteen – in addition to playing at the upcoming Super Bowl – plans to perform his latest new song during the NBC’s Sunday Night Football program on November 16.
“Workin’ on A Dream” was played only once by Springsteen at a Barack Obama rally not too long ago, so I suppose we can consider this upcoming performance the national debut of the new track. Full Story.
Ozzy Seeks Foul-Mouthed Seven-year-old
I suppose a measure of pity might be in order for the parents of the kid who acts enough like Ozzy Osbourne to portray the aging rocker in a new television program.
The show’s makers are reported to be seeking a foul-mouthed seven-year-old to play Ozzy during his formative years, when he is presumed to have spent considerable time honing his cussing skills.
In addition to the ability to curse convincingly, the right candidate will also be required to speak with a Birmingham (U.K.) accent and have dark hair. Full Story.
October 10, 2008
The Politics of Rock
As we draw nearer to the Presidential election, the rhetoric and attacks flying back and forth between the McCain and Obama camps is intensifying. But the political candidates and their campaign teams are not the only ones who are out there in the public eye making their voices heard.
National campaigns in the past have traditionally been accompanied by public support from various celebrities, who, for one reason or another, are convinced that the rest of us really need to know who they are voting for. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but doesn’t this kind of activity seem to be cranked up a notch this time around?
I first started paying attention to this when the Wilson sisters of Heart complained about the McCain camp’s use of their hit song “Barracuda,” which was said to have been chosen because “Sarah Barracuda” was a nickname that Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin picked up in High School as a result of her aggressive style while playing sports.
Later we heard that Jackson Browne had his knickers in a twist over the use of his song “Running on Empty” as part of a McCain television advertisement.
In addition to those well-known rockers, by digging back just a little bit in history, we find that John Mellencamp asked the McCain campaign to stop using his music back around February.
Since then we’ve heard from Van Halen, who was not happy about the use of their song “Right now,” which was written during the “Van Hagar” days, and apparently did not present any problems for Sammy Hagar who thought it was just fine, but Hagar is known as a GOP supporter.
More recently, it seems that the Foo Fighters are angry with the McCain people over use of their song “My Hero.” In a statement the group said the following: "The saddest thing about this is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song."
In response, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said: "The McCain-Palin campaign respects copyright. This campaign has obtained and paid for licenses from performing rights organizations, giving us permission to play millions of different songs, including ‘My Hero.’”
I guess that’s probably something that some famously politically active rockers are not too happy to hear, but if the McCain campaign did indeed follow the proper procedures and pay to use those songs (any appearance of doubt on my part is a result of the fact that we are dealing with politicians and their cronies here), it seems there is little that the flustered artists can do except whine to the press about the use of their material.
I guess it also explains why the McCain campaign continues to use many of these songs despite the requests from the 
artists who wrote them to stop.
But the vitriol that has been flowing freely from some artists in the direction of John McCain and his supporters is just one side of the story. There are a few artists out there who are very willingly lending their music, as well as their celebrity status to the causes of their chosen candidate.
Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel are very vocal supporters of Barrack Obama and have even been out performing in support of their candidate. Not to to be outdone, Jon Bon Jovi hosted a $38,000-a-plate dinner with Obama, although those of lesser means had the chance to opt for the more reasonable $2,300 ticket which did not include dinner with the Presidential candidate.
Speaking of supporters, most recently we heard from Alice Cooper, who is known as a Republican supporter, and has been quoted during an interview saying that he thinks Sarah Palin is “…totally a breath of fresh air. When they say she has no experience, maybe that’s what Washington needs. I still don’t know who I’m going to vote for. But in a shooting war, I want a pit bull, not a poodle. I’m gonna go for the hawk,” Cooper said.
There is certainly an element of the citizenry that is not too pleased with the attention and money that celebrities are lavishing on their candidate of choice. For example, a letter to a New Jersey newspaper from a reader makes her views on the subject quite clear.
Personally I tend to agree with the author of that letter, and I wish celebrities, who have a distinct advantage over the common citizen when it comes to getting the message out in support of the candidate, would keep private the choices they intend to make when they enter the voting both.
That is a message I would direct at both political parties (the only two we appear to be stuck with for eternity, by the way), since I am a true independent, and could go on at length about the problems I have with both Republicans and Democrats. However, this is Real Rock News and not a Washington Times or New York Times editorial column, so I will leave it at that.
What do you think? Does the political activism of celebrity rockers annoy you or do you see it simply as their right to free speech?
September 30, 2008
Springsteen Confirmed For Super Bowl Half-Time Show
As rumored back in August, Bruce Springsteen has been confirmed as the half-time performer for the next Super Bowl which is scheduled for February 1, 2009 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The announcement comes from the NFL and NBC, which will be airing the annual event.
Almost 150 million viewers watched the half-time show last year when Tom Petty rocked the half-time show at the University of Phoenix Stadium, so it looks like “The Boss” may be in for the most-watched performance of his career.
Springsteen and his E Street Band will have 12 minutes to fill, which is a pretty short gig, but one with a history of headlining heavy hitters like Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and U2. I’m not sure where the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” of 2004 figures into the history of this event, but it was certainly one of the most publicized, and also the type of performance that is not likely to be repeated again.
In 1988, Chubby Checker was the first well-known musician to perform at the Super Bowl half-time show and the performances have varied in style through the years including the “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” in 1995, a “Blues Brothers Bash” in 1997 and the “Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” in 1999 with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover.
With Springsteen’s popular appeal and “working man” persona, I suspect that he, along with his E Street Band will draw a very competitive number of viewers to the half-time show in Tampa.
