how strange the change from major to minor...

From The Onion (thanks, Rob):

Executives at Atlantic Records announced Monday that multi-platinum recording artist Matchbox Twenty, which set sales records in 2000 for its mega-hit release Mad Season, has finally finished watering down tracks on its long-awaited new album Beige.

"Everyone here at Atlantic is thrilled about what's sure to be the biggest-selling, least-rocking record of the year," Atlantic public-relations spokeswoman Janet Cosgrove said. "It's been a long wait, but the incredibly boring results speak for themselves. Beige is bigger and blander than anything Matchbox Twenty has ever done."

Pure snark, nasty but funny. I've never worked with these guys, don't know them, but the article is pretty dead on re: the mainstream music world today. Record labels run by lawyers, bands who consider themselves 'artistes,' and a public who thinks Avril Levigne plays rock'n'roll.

Thank God for the following:

Loretta Lynn had the balls to work with Jack White;

Elliot Smith gave us some honest music before he left;

Brett Gurewitz released Joe Strummer's final albums;

Iggy Pop is still making music;

Nellie McKay gets some publicity.

Care to give thanks for more? Add some comments.

Edit: A friend sent me a response that made me reflect a bit. I meant, by saying God Bless these people, that I was glad to have some music available that didn't conform to record company convention, not that I considered them divinely inspired (well Elliot perhaps is now.) Van Lear Rose wasn't what I hoped for, and yes, Interscope would release an album of Jack White farting if they thought it would sell units. I don't even own an Iggy album. But I'm still glad these people are doing what they do. And that applies to these folks too:

Thank God for:

Gillian Welch always keeping it real;

Andre 3000 took hip hop into the future, and is a really nice guy;

Brian Wilson hung out with VanDyke Parks and gave us SMile;

Los Lonely Boys remind us how much fun a 3 piece band can be;

Vote For Change has attracted some heavy talent, like Springsteen, Pearl Jam, REM...

All good stuff.