With the cost of reasonable quality recording from a sound/mixing desk and practicalities of moving the technology getting cheaper and easier there seems to be a trend towards official ‘bootlegs’ seems to be increasing with Tori Amos being another convert. With CD sales reportedly dropping its another avenue to replace any lost income, and a good one for artists who have a reputation for good live performances.

Call me a luddite if you like, but apart from the fact that there is now a price tag associated to the concert recording what has happened to the romance of smugging in recording equipment and trying to get yourself a spot where the sound is perfect. The trick of timing when to swap recording media and so on.

It does also leave an interesting question when is a live recording a bootleg or an official live album ?

 The founder of one of the most famous clubs ever CBGB’s – Hilly Kristal has died due to complications from Lung Cancer.  CBGB’s will always be remembered as the spiritual home of US Punk. Sadly the club closed last year as a result of being forced out by the landlords.

I don’t know if its me getting older – but we do seem to be receiving news of a lot of influential people from the music world passing on in recent months.

Hilly Kristal’s obituary at NME can be found here.

 Crawdaddy seem to be keeping up with their excellent standard of articles and subject matter, this time with a crate digger article on Chris Whitley’s debut album.

Crate Digger – Chris Whitely: Living With the Law

 Tony Wilson the founder and former head honcho of Factory Records has sadly died. He will be remembered for a great many things, including the work with Joy Division and New Order as well as founding and creating a successful independent record label on which many have based their own businesses.

Many eulogies and tributes have been written and said of Tony, and I will leave it to them to show how great and influential a person he was.

Anthony H Wilson 1950-2007 – NME.COM