According to an article in Weekly magazine, you might want to tell Billy to put down the guitar and pickup a handgun.  Apparently leading the lifestyle of the King can lead to a premature stage exit. After collecting the statistics on 1,064 rock stars, from the 1950s to today, researchers at Liverpool John Moores University concluded that rock stars really do die younger. For American rock stars the death age was 42; for European counterparts it was only 35.

Chief reasons for a visit from the Grim Reaper were extensive partying, plane and bus crashes and mental instability. “We looked at this industry just like any other. When you do that, you  identify what people are most at risk of,” says principal researcher, Mark Bellis. “Some of the key risks are still associated with drug and alcohol use.”

This year’s nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced (drum roll please Mr. Moon), they are: Madonna, The Ventures, The Dave Clark Five, Leonard Cohen, Chic, John Mellencamp, Donna Summer, the Beastie boys and Afrika Bambaataa. To be eligible, the nominees would have had to release their first single no later than 1982.

At this point, most of the obvious choices have been inducted so now we’re getting into the early eighties music scene (yawn), and the leftovers from the sixties and seventies. All of these current artists certainly qualify or they wouldn’t have been nominated, but if I had to pick someone, I would be pulling for Leonard Cohen (who writes the best depressing songs that every artist wants to cover) and the Ventures (the 60s guitar nerds who wrote tunes so cool they didn’t need vocals). Okay and maybe John Mellencamp, as long as he doesn’t play “Little Pink Houses,” if he gets inducted.

I’d be interested in hearing who you think is worthy to be added to the Hall for 2008 or if you think that there’s a deserving artist who’s been overlooked let me know.

Btw…Why in the hell were the Stooges overlooked again this year? They got robbed last year and weren’t even nominated this year!!! Might as well tune into Partridge Family reruns (they haven’t been nominated yet, have they?)

Top Ten: “Hey, I know that song!” Songs of the 90’s:

‘Low’ by Cracker

‘Bad Reputation’ by Freedy Johnston

‘Flagpole Sitta’ by Harvey Danger

‘Closing Time’ by Semisonic

‘Sex and Candy’ by Marcy Playground

‘Possum Kingdom’ by The Toadies

‘Good’ by Better Than Ezra

‘No Rain’ by Blind Melon

‘Cumbersome’ by 7 Mary 3

‘Counting Blue Cars’ by Dishwala (not to be confused with Local H)

Fin

My friend Dave sent me this link.

Very interesting thoughts on why not to sign with a major label.

WARNING: Potty Mouth.

Where do we draw the line between sharing and stealing? Is it stealing to burn CD’s for your friends? Is it stealing to teach your friends songs on guitar?

What about posting music files on sites like LimeWire or writing out guitar tabs and posting them on sites like guitar tab universe? Is that stealing?

Once we draw the line, how do we punish those who cross it? Removing ears, jail time, or fines?

What do you think?