When open source and music merge.

Many people know me as a HUGE Linux and open source nut. I am even fanatical at times due to the importance I see in where open source can take us as a whole.

Well, I received an email today that contained an article on RedHat’s website. This article is, in my opinion, one of the best articles to speak on open source and music.

Read it! It is worth it.

“The irony of popular music is that many of the great songs are about challenging the status quo. About sticking it to The Man and annoying the hell out of your parents. Yet much of the mainstream music we hear today is homogenized and shamelessly formulaic.”

Full article: http://www.redhat.com/magazine/001nov04/features/music/

Men of Valor Review

As you know, we are big fans of Battlefield. Not only are we fans, but so are many other gamers. Because of this, Battlefield has sold incredibly well. When a game does this well, you will see a lot of other game companies releasing similiar products. This is not a bad thing in itself. You just have to look a little harder for the diamond in the rough.

Is Men of Valor one of those games? Find out in this review of Men of Valor written by one of our own members, Henley.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Box Set

Rockstar games has released the music CD list for the 8 disc box set. It is a great mix of all types of music. I was really impressed by the Rock CD list.

CD8 – Radio X
1. Radio X Intro
2. Soundgarden – Rusty Cage
3. Helmet – Unsung
4. Faith No More – Midlife Crisis
5. Stone Temple Pilots – Plush
6. Rage Against The Machine – Killing In The Name
7. Youre On Radio X
8. Living Colour – Cult Of Personality
9. Danzig – Mother
10. Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus
11. Janes Addiction – Been Caught Stealing
12. L7 – Pretend Were Dead
13. That Was Radio X
14. My Five Uncles
15. Exsorbeo Handheld Gaming System

If you want to see the full Press Release, Click Read More…. Continue reading Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Box Set

Rockn The News – November 16, 2004

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Ska Is Dead
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Punkbands.com reports: The 2005 edition of this years successful Ska Is Dead tour is in the world. It will run between February 1st and March 17th with a core lineup of Streetlight Manifesto, Voodoo Glow Skulls and MU330.[see full story for more]

Full Story – http://www.punkbands.com/

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Epitaph Tour
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Aversion reports: The first-ever Epitaph Tour is taking shape to help the punk label promote its latest generation of bands.

The Los Angeles label announced that it will showcase many of its latest signings on an upcoming tour. Matchbook Romance, Motion City Soundtrack and From First to Last will appear on all dates, with The Matches and Scatter the Ashes appearing on a handful of dates. All bands represent Epitaphs latest wave of signings, putting post-hardcore-influenced acts onto its roster. [see full story for more]

Full Story – http://aversion.com/news/news_article.cfm?news_id=3337

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KROQ X-Mas
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liveDaily reports: The lineup for the first night of Los Angeles-area radio station KROQs two-night Almost Acoustic Christmas–set for Dec. 11 at Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, CA–will include Franz Ferdinand, The Shins, The Killers, Modest Mouse, Interpol, Jimmy Eat World, Keane, Muse, Snow Patrol, Taking Back Sunday and The Music. [see full story for more]

Full Story – http://www.livedaily.com/news/7334.html

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Soil Hire New Singer
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submitted news reports: [From Soils official site] We are proud to announce we have a new frontman for our band: A.J. Cavalier (of Diesel Machine). AJ originally hails from NY and was recommended by some very close friends,” the band write on their web site. “Once he came to rehearsal to jam and lay down some rough demos with us, we knew he was the man for the job. We are currently writing the new album and preparing to get ready for the new chapter of SOIL. It feels great to be a full band again. AJ is everything we were looking for and wanted in a singer. We know the SOIL army will welcome him with open arms.

Full Story – http://www.soil-music.com

Ozzy Bible

Blabbermouth reports: Despite previous reports to the contrary, OZZY OSBOURNEs upcoming box set will be called “Bible of Ozz” and not “The Prince of Darkness”, a spokesperson at Sharon Osbourne Management has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

The 52-song set, due on February 8, chronicles Ozzys career via his biggest hits and most memorable collaborations, while including a separate disc with 10 newly recorded versions of his favorite songs by other artists. This means that Ozzy fans can hear the madmans very own renditions of classics by the ROLLING STONES, MOUNTAIN, MOTT THE HOOPLE, KING CRIMSON, and others. [see full story for more]

Full Story – http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=29063

Rockn The News – November 16, 2004

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Slipknot, Hives Big Day Out
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Reuters reports: The Hives, Slipknot, the Polyphonic Spree and Le Tigre have been added to the lineup for the annual Big Day Out festival tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Other acts new to the bill are Atmosphere, Carl Cox, Blues Explosion, Kid 606 and Hatebreed. [see full story for more]

Full Story – http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=34AXDNBXKEYM0CRBAE0CFEY?type=musicNews&storyID=6777928

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APC hits number 2
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Entering The Billboard 200 chart at No. 2 this week is A Perfect Circles “Emotive”.

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Morrissey The Musical
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Xfm reports: New reports claim that a musical based around the music of The Smiths and Morrissey is currently being written and will be staged at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, West London, with rehearsals pencilled in to start in May 2005.

The musical is named after The Smiths 1986 track Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others and is said to feature over 20 Smiths songs all arranged for a string quartet with vocals being supplied by a cast of six. Due to negotiations with representatives for Morrissey and his Smiths co-writer Johnny Marr, its not yet known which songs will be used. [see full story for more]

Full Story – http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=52686

Music is not a Loaf of Bread

From Wired News today comes an interview with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy on the bands past and current work as well as the importance of file sharing to their current success. Read the full interview here: Music Is not a Loaf of Bread

For those of you interested, you can check out a live audio only webcast of their show tonight at The Fillmore in San Francisco (Monday, November 15th, @ 8:00 pm PST. Here is the link: Wilco

So Long Battlefield

It was fun while it lasted. Thats right. Im giving up the ghost, so to speak. You see, EA has tendered an offer for all the outstanding shares of Digital Illusions (DICE), supposedly to give DICE access to gaming platforms currently in development. What lesson have we learned when EA buys a studio? Heres a hint. Take a look at EAs past acquisitions…

Origin – Ultima
Maxis – SimCity
Westwood – Command &Conquer
Bullfrog – Dungeon Keeper

Thats just from the top of my head. Where are they now? I would look for BF2 to be the last viable PC game put out by DICE, unless EA screws that up as well.

So long DICE. Its been nice knowing you. If you really want the full details, click Read More for the Press Release from EA. Continue reading So Long Battlefield

New ATI Catalyst 4.12 Beta Drivers

ATI has posted the Catalyst 4.12 Beta Drivers up on their website. This beta driver primarily fixes random hangs playing certain games on certain punkbuster servers. However, I also picked up two tidbits of information on the DriverHeaven Forums today from a member of the Catalyst development team. First, relating to at least one reason for the release of the 4.12 betas:

“ps. if you are planning on playing a hot new game in the next few days, I really recommend you use these drivers. Of course they only work on ATI cards… “

Halflife 2 by chance?

Finally, this same development team member stated that the 4.12 will be the end of the 4 series catalyst with the 5 series starting after the first of the year.

Link: http://www.ati.com/support/infobase/4701.html

Guys Gone Wild!

You may have thought youve seen everything there is to see about World of Warcraft. Well, youre wrong. See the video you never hoped youd see in a MMORPG! Guys Gone Wild! Debauchery has taken its place beside Chivalry! Woohoo! Take it off boys!

1.8 Meg Video – World of Warcraft – Guys Gone Wild – Free Download (No Registration Required)