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The MataBlog is edited by Matador Records’ co-moaner Gerard Cosloy and individual entries are the work of whoever’s name is next to them. If you enjoyed something in the MataBlog, thank you very much! If there was something you found particularly troubling, please be advised that a) maybe you should read it again and b) the contents of this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of Matador Records, Beggars Group, the combined staff of either company, nor the Matador artist roster. Opinions are like friends — hardly anyone has one worth listening to.

Concerto Review : The World's Greatest Money Making Enterprise

October 23rd, 2006 at 3:02 pm by Gerard



Like a not so small portion of Austin, TX  I am recovering today from the Rolling Stones' first-ever appearance in our humble town.  What conclusions can be gleaned from the Stones playing what we in the trade charitably call "secondary markets" (ie. Missoula, Boise, Regina, Wichita, El Paso, etc.) are not worth mulling in the wake of such a historic event. Amongst the highlights the local press neglected to mention : 

1) A tremendous cover of Spoon's "Don't Buy The Realistic", certain to displease tour sponsors Radio Shack.

2) The equally improbable cover of "Dicks Hate Police".  "We've never played this one in public," admitted Mick, "and we might never play it again."

3) Excellent security provided by the Hells Angels.

4) A surprise appearance by Mick Taylor.  Selling hot dogs.

5) Quoted boost to the local economy : $25 million.  Damage done to the psyche of neighborhood dogs by the show's pyro : incalculable.

 

Hanging On The Telephone

July 29th, 2006 at 1:50 pm by Gerard

From MobHappy.com

Geriatric rockers The Rolling Stones have hopped on board the mobile music train — sort of. Through a service called Listen Live Now!, fans will be able to listen live to their concert today in Paris via their mobile phones. And when I say via their mobile phones, I don’t mean some sort of streaming audiocast — they call in and get a feed from the mixing board piped across a standard phone connection to their handset. Sounds brilliant. But it gets better.

Users will be charged $1.99 for 7 minutes, and there doesn’t appear to be a way to simply buy the whole thing at once — so users who actually want to shell out the $40 or so to hear the whole thing will have to do it $1.99 and 7 minutes at a time. The Stones’ manager says the move will help deter bootlegging — seriously — and that “It’s passive income, and they’re helping fans enjoy the experience without affecting ticket sales."

Once again, much like our terrific ideas for the "Brain Candy" ad campaign (ripped off by Paramount's initiative for "World Trade Center"), Matador has been fucked over by The Man. Our own mobile phone-cast is ready to roll at this weekend's Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, and we've been usurpred by the Rolling Stones.



(be patient --- I might be getting a beer)

Anyhow, if you send me $20 via paypal ([email protected]) along with your phone number, I'll be quite willing to ring you back during Mission Of Burma or Yo La Tengo's sets on Sunday. I can't guarantee this scheme will work --- for one thing, I might be on a more important telephone call at the time. But it is your chance to take part in portable music history, and a great way to show the Rolling Stones that we're sick to death of being pushed around.

Matador Publicity Dept. Tricks Media Into Covering 50-Somethings

July 26th, 2006 at 5:30 pm by Gerard



"We've all got to be surprised at how possible it is to play loud, challenging music later in life, to still have this urge to explore, disrupt and upend things," Conley enthuses. "I just saw some old YouTube video of the Stones on Ed Sullivan where Mick Jagger is just looking into the television camera -- it's so menacing, so sexy and powerful. And you look at him now-- it's just this cock-of-the-walk grotesque caricature of a rock star. When you see people lose their bearings, it's a terrible tragedy. - Mission Of Burma's Clint Conley, as quoted in Eye Weekly, in advance of tonight's Burma gig at the Horseshoe Tavern.

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The MataBlog is edited by Matador Records’ co-moaner Gerard Cosloy and individual entries are the work of whoever’s name is next to them. If you enjoyed something in the MataBlog, thank you very much! If there was something you found particularly troubling, please be advised that a) maybe you should read it again and b) the contents of this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of Matador Records, Beggars Group, the combined staff of either company, nor the Matador artist roster. Opinions are like friends — hardly anyone has one worth listening to.

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