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.